The Defence Cyber Command (DCC), operating under the Ministry of Defence, successfully conducted the AEGIS LEXICON 2025 – Defence Cyber Exposition recently (29 July 2025) at the Ministry premises. This annual event was specially organized to mark the Second Anniversary of the formation of the Defence Cyber Command, which was established on 03 August 2023. It highlighted Sri Lanka’s growing focus on digital defence and cyber security capabilities.
Delivering the keynote address, Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), highlighted the growing necessity for the Defence Cyber Command (DCC) to evolve into a fully fledged Cyber Force. He stressed that DCC must be capable of operating at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels to ensure comprehensive national security in cyberspace, aligning with the Ministry’s broader defence objectives.
This year’s exposition was held under the theme National Security in the Age of AI and Cyber Physical Convergence,” focusing on the urgent need for building resilient cyber defence mechanisms in the face of rapidly evolving technological threats. The event was organised under the direction of Brigadier Dhammika Vidanalage, Director of the Defence Cyber Command.
The emphasis of the forum was on importance of cyber readiness, inter agency collaboration, and long term capacity development to ensure national resilience in cyberspace. It was also highlighted the role of the DCC in spearheading the nation’s efforts to meet future cyber challenges.
The event featured several insightful and technical presentations covering cyber security, artificial intelligence, legal frameworks, and the protection of national infrastructure.
Presentations included Cyber Threat Landscape in the Age of AI and Quantum Computing” by Brigadier Dhammika Vidanalage, Trust Frameworks Underlying Sri Lanka’s Digital Economy Advancement” by Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya and The Algorithmic Battlefield: AI and the Future of National Defence” by Prof. Kasun De Zoysa of the University of Colombo.
Other key presentations were Legal Challenges in Strengthening Sri Lanka’s Cyber Security Framework” by Dr. Thusitha B. Abeysekara from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Cyber Security Governance and Protection of Critical Infrastructure” by Mr. Lasantha Priyankara of Sysco Labs, and Securing Against Cyber Physical Attacks in the Evolving Threat Landscape” by Dr. Roshan Rajapakse and Mr. Kenneth Thilakarathna of the University of Colombo.
A key highlight of the exposition was the panel discussion titled Overcoming Cyber Physical Challenges for National Security in Sri Lanka,” which brought together leading experts from the government and the digital sector. The panellists included Mr. Waruna Sri Dhanapala (Acting Secretary, Ministry of Digital Economy), Dr. Aparrajitha Ariyadasa, Mr. Lakmal Embuldeniya, Major Sandun Gunawardana, Lieutenant Commander Meshech Hewawasam.
The DCC technical team, led by Colonel Darshana Muthugala, conducted a live demonstration showcasing existing cyber threats. This demonstration gave participants an understanding of Sri Lanka’s existing cyber threats.
As the nation commemorates the Second Anniversary of the Defence Cyber Command, AEGIS LEXICON 2025 reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s strategic commitment to strengthening its cyber capabilities. The event served as a call for continued innovation, legal reform, and strategic preparedness to defend the country’s digital sovereignty.
The Defence Cyber Command remains committed to leading Sri Lanka’s efforts in digital defence and is poised to transform into a national level Cyber Force, operating across all domains to safeguard national interests in the age of digital convergence.
In its continued efforts to empower Sri Lankan students with seamless access to international education opportunities, NDB Bank has entered into strategic partnership with Eduko Pathways. The official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) took place on July 20, 2025, at NDB Bank Head Office, setting the stage for a meaningful collaboration aimed at making overseas education more seamless for local students and their families.
Signing on behalf of NDB Bank were Mr. Sanjaya Perera, Senior Vice President – Personal Banking & Customer Experience, and Mr. Zeyan Hameed, Vice President – Retail Banking. Representing Eduko Pathways was Ms. Nishani De Silva, Chief Executive Officer.
Eduko Pathways is a globally connected education consultancy with a strong presence in Sri Lanka, helping thousands of students gain admission to top-tier institutions in Australia, the UK, Canada, and beyond. Known for their holistic approach—from academic counselling to visa support, Eduko Pathways has become a trusted guide for students navigating the complex journey of overseas education.
Through this partnership, NDB Bank will offer a range of financial solutions that complement Eduko Pathways’ services, including student file facilities, education loans, and foreign remittance services. These solutions are designed to simplify the financial side of studying abroad, giving students the confidence and means to pursue their academic ambitions globally.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Sanjaya Perera stated, At NDB, we recognise that education is one of the most important investments in a young person’s life. Our collaboration with Eduko Pathways will ensure that financial challenges don’t stand in the way of Sri Lankan students achieving their global dreams.”
This partnership aligns with NDB’s wider purpose of being a bank for all the moments that matter, empowering the nation through strategic financial solutions that touch every stage of life. By enabling access to global education, NDB continues to position itself as a trusted partner in the academic and personal growth journeys of future generations.
NDB Bank is the fourth-largest listed commercial bank in Sri Lanka. NDB was named Sri Lanka’s Best Bank for Corporates at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2024 and was awarded Domestic Retail Bank of the Year – Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Domestic Project Finance Bank of the Year by Asian Banking and Finance Magazine (Singapore) Awards 2024. 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.
Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong (L) hands over emergency humanitarian supplies to Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Aug. 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Dongshu)
COLOMBO, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) — China handed over emergency humanitarian supplies to Sri Lanka here on Tuesday.
The handover included emergency supplies ranging from tents and beds to generators and water pumps.
These items aim to improve conditions for local communities displaced by flooding and help them respond more effectively to future natural disasters.
Speaking at the event, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong said that as a country with extensive experience in post-disaster reconstruction and risk management, China can share valuable expertise and advanced technologies with Sri Lanka to strengthen the South Asian country’s resilience in disaster prevention.
“China is willing to explore more practical and in-depth cooperation with the Sri Lankan side in areas such as satellite meteorological image sharing, disaster early warning, and disaster prevention and mitigation,” Qi said.
Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha expressed gratitude for China’s timely assistance and underscored the importance of such partnerships as climate change intensifies disaster risks in the region
Colombo, August 5 (Daily Mirror) – Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today brushed off concerns over the government’s move to slash privileges granted to former Presidents, saying the real privilege lies with the people.
Responding to reporters in Colombo, Rajapaksa said he was not concerned about the government’s attempts to remove certain benefits, suggesting it was being done out of political vengeance.
He also remarked, Medamulana is much better than Wijerama Mawatha,” referring to his private residence in Hambantota compared to the official residence provided in Colombo.
They can remove any privileges from us. What matters is the privilege I have from the people,” he added.
China and the U.S. are the leading EV manufacturers
SL has offered to purchase fuel from U.S. companies if prices are competitive
Apparel remains the largest Sri Lankan export to the U.S. market
Colombo, August 5 (Daily Mirror) – The United States (U.S.), in its tariff negotiations, requested Sri Lanka to grant duty-free access to American vehicles, including Electric Vehicles (EVs), in its bid to narrow the trade gap, a source familiar with trade talks said.
However, according to the same source, the Sri Lankan government did not grant outright approval, but agreed to consider such concerns in a phased out manner over a period of time. Sri Lanka and the U.S. will continue with the trade dialogue with the aim of getting tariffs reduced further.
During the latest round of talks, Sri Lanka managed to get tariffs reduced to 20 per cent from the originally proposed amount of 44 per cent. The current rate is considered competitive since it is on par with its regional competitors, such as Bangladesh and Vietnam. Tariffs imposed on Vietnam and Bangladesh also remain at 20 per cent.
U.S. total goods trade with Sri Lanka was an estimated $3.4 billion in 2024. U.S. goods exports to Sri Lanka in 2024 were $368.2 million, up 4.9 per cent ($17.1 million) from 2023. U.S. goods imports from Sri Lanka totalled $3.0 billion in 2024, up 6.1 per cent ($173.5 million) from 2023. The U.S. goods trade deficit with Sri Lanka was $2.6 billion in 2024, a 6.3 per cent increase ($156.4 million) over 2023.
Sri Lanka has offered to purchase fuel from U.S. companies if prices are competitive, as one of its proposals to reduce the trade gap. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has already sought samples of WTC crude produced in the U.S. for a specification test in Sri Lanka.
Currently, apparels remain the largest Sri Lankan products to reach the U.S. market. Sri Lanka stood firm against the request by them to impose restrictions on imports of raw materials from China for the garments industry. In the future, Sri Lanka will have to navigate further intricacies in international trading. China and the U.S. are the leading EV manufacturers in the world. Currently, Sri Lanka imports EVs such as BYD from China.
On 21 November 1938, Hitler met with the South African defence minister Oswald Pirow and told him that the Jews would be killed if war broke out. The same month, an official of Hitler’s chancellery told a British diplomat of German plans “to get rid of [German] Jews, either by emigration or if necessary, by starving or killing them” to avoid “having such a hostile minority in the country in the event of war” -Wikipedia. “We can’t finish the war without eliminating Hamas leadership” – Prime Minister Netanyahu: (https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/ politics/ 1707129128-gantz-denies-plan-to-replace-netanyahu-through-likud-report).
One wonders how many ordinary Palestinians have to be killed and starved to death to eliminate the Hamas leadership. So far, more than 60,000 Palestinians including some 17,000 children have been killed by Isreal, leaving the world wondering how many more have to be killed, either by shooting them or starving them to death to eliminate the Hamas leadership”. It is ironical that Hamas, a group that Israel provided behind the scenes support to pursue their mutual common objective of opposing a two State solution, is now hounded by the one-time supporter. Information relating to this unholy alliance is noted later in this article along with several references relating to how Isreal supported, and in a way, nurtured Hamas. Israel’s strategy now is clearly the total annihilation of Gaza without any concern for human life there in the guise of eliminating the Hamas leadership”. The total destruction of Gaza and the starvation of the Palestinians still living there, barely, as evident from the many images the world is seeing daily, does not leave any doubt as to the objectives of the leadership of Isreal. The plight of Palestinians in Gaza has no parallel.
It appears that the leadership of Isreal has learnt some diabolical lessons from their one-time enemy number one, Adolf Hitler, and today, are killing and starving Palestinians to avoid having a hostile minority” that is a threat to Isreal.
The people of Israel have dug their own reputation to the ground by allowing a minority of hardline extremists to tarnish the reputation of the entire country. Quite possibly, because of the horrific annihilation of the entirety of Gaza, the number of civilians massacred, including 17000 children, there may be some who could be wondering whether Hitler was right about the Jews. God forbid; one hopes that kind of thinking never happens as there is no comparison with the mentality and actions of Hitler. However, the absolute misery caused to Palestinians by Israel and which continues unabated, the deliberate starvation caused and Israel’s denial of it although the entire world can see it happening live on virtually all TV channels of the world, makes one wonder whether there is a difference in effect as to what happened to the Jews during the second world war and what is now happening to the Palestinians in Gaza.
History is devouring Israel and Palestine
The Israeli/Palestine conflict is far too steeped in history, ancient as well as more contemporary history, and they are seeking a solution based on history, rather than the future. An account of the ancient history was mentioned by the writer in an article tiled Israel-Palestine conflict: Looking to future rather than past (https://www.ft.lk/columns/Israel-Palestine-conflict–Looking-to-future-rather-than-past/4-779177, https://slguardian.org/israel-palestine-conflict-a-federal-political-model-as-a-solution/. In this article, a federal solution rather than a two State solution, as a way forward rather than a way to go backwards to the past was discussed.
In relation to the more contemporary history, a previous article titled Israel and Hamas; Strange bed fellows fallen out with each other? (https://www.ft.lk/columns/Israel-and-Hamas-Strange-bed-fellows-fallen-out-with-each-other/4-756400) highlighted the initial unofficial, mutually symbiotic relationship between Israel and Hamas.Both parties opposed a two State solution, and that concept became the common enemy of both Israel and Hamas, and it had given rise to the relationship between the two parties. In several articles which are quoted here again (see below), the history of that understanding and even support, including financial support given to Hamas by Israel is noted. Israel’s policy of divide and rule, an ancient, time tested strategy was used to divide Palestinians into two camps, the Palestinian Authority (which had agreed through US sponsored talks, to accept Israel’s right to exist in exchange for a two State solution), and Hamas which opposed both, to serve Israels behind the scenes position of opposition to a two State solution and instead, the complete subjugation of Palestinian territory to Isreal control.
Why a two State solution will not be a long lasting, sustainable solution.
Based on ancient history, as that appears to be the justification for Israel to have total control of all of Palestine, a two State solution will not be a long-term sustainable solution. The biggest military, political and financial backer of Israel is the USA (The Council on Foreign Relations says Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid since its founding, receiving about $310 billion (adjusted for inflation) in total economic and military assistance (https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts), and it is certain that this situation will continue, and this relationship will become stronger. It is not conceivable that an Independent Palestinian State will receive the degree of military, political and financial support they need from other countries including China, Russia and India, the other major powers, to survive as an independent State able to defend itself against Israel. Whilst it is unlikely, they may provide that support if it’s to their benefit. But, faced with the reality that the USA is the superpower of the world, and will remain for the foreseeable future as the closest ally of Israel, it seems unlikely they would wish to engage in a very long-term plan to build Palestine from virtual scratch to a power which could defend itself against a US backed Israel. Countries agitating for a two State solution as the way out of the current morass should give serious thought to the plight of a relatively helpless Palestine State.
A two State solution will work if the State of Palestine functions as a vassal state of Israel, subordinate to the more powerful Isreal. This of course is pure fantasy if one were to consider the actions of Hamas against Isreal. A solution should not give rise to another problem, and a two State solution, without the necessary real guarantees of support to Palestine, will not be a solution.
Gaza annihilation and the impotency of the world
Currently, the State of Palestine is recognised as a sovereign nation by 147 of the 193 UN member states, representing 75 percent of the international community. It is also recognised by the Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City, which holds UN observer status.
Despite this recognition, no country or a group of countries amongst those who have recognised it as an independent State, have managed to stop or at least deter and minimise the total annihilation of Gaza by Israel. They have not managed to stop Israeli settlement spread in official Palestinian territory, including in areas supposedly under the control of the Palestinian Authority. The expansion of effective Isreal control of Palestinian territory is evident from the illustration shown below. Unless the USA recognises an independent Palestinian State, or other emerging and regional powers are able to exert enough influence as rival power groups, to dilute the support the USA gives Isreal, having an independent Palestinian State will be an ineffectual, short-lived solution.
The power of Isreal, thanks mainly to the rich and influential Jews who wield enormous power in the US and who keep the US as its main ally, politically, economically and militarily, gives Isreal a near cart blanche support to further their claim that the entire Palestinian region is Jewish territory. Virtually all countries who have recognized the State of Palestine have traded with Israel, with some of them providing various components for their military equipment which has been used to decimate Gaza. The impotency of the Arab nations, rich and powerful in their own right, in not being able to support their fellow Arab brethren in Palestine has led to the strengthening of the Israeli strategy of annihilation of Palestine. This makes the task easier for Isael as they can and as the world has witnessed, to proceed with their final solution which is to conquer” the only bit of resistance that Palestinians have been able to muster to at least slow the Israeli violence. The direction being taken now by Israel is to totally disregard the status, wishes and above all the dignity and self-respect of the Palestinians, and usher a one-sided Jewish” solution. So far, the rest of the world has shown their impotence in not exerting any action to deter the violence perpetrated by Isreal, except paying lip service, and not doing anything material to deter Isreal and its genocidal campaign.
It is convenient for Isreal and their supporters to blame Hamas for the violence that ensued after October 7th. It is not of any concern or consequence to them that 60,000 innocent Palestinians, including 17000 children have paid a price with their lives, and their homes and livelihoods have been totally destroyed by Isreal. It is not of any consequence to them that there is mass starvation of Palestinians, with many dying of it, It is despicable that other countries who are able to send ships and other transport with food and medicines for the Palestinians in Gaza have not done so and are asking Isreal for permission to do so, when Isreal has no right to deny the right of access to Gaza to any other country to move food, water and medicines for the starving and dying people in Gaza.
What could be a longer-term, sustainable futuristic solution? A federal model as a solution?
In the longer term, the expansionistic objective of Israel and the total subjugation of Palestine will not be a solution, as neither the long-term security of Israel nor the dignity and rights of the Palestinians will be addressed through a one-sided solution. A genuine long-term solution will require compromise from both sies and a look to the future as a solution and not an ever-festering, challenged version of history as a path towards a solution.
Insecurity of Israel will not be just its insecurity, but that of the region as has been witnessed in Lebanon and very recently in Iran. Impermanence of everything, including a solution based on anger and vengeance will not last as the status quo that resulted in a one-sided solution will change and the defeated Palestinians may rise from the ashes, so to speak, with support and assistance from those who may use Palestine as a medium to cause damage to the US. Such a situation will not be one to be welcomed as more insecurity for Israel and more suffering for Palestinians and their supporters will not be what the people of Isreal or Palestine wish for or deserve.
A possible futuristic conceptual solution might be to have a one State, federal union model where, Isreal and Palestine operate as semi-autonomous regions with a federal government comprising both Israeli and Palestinians in equal share being elected as members of a federal parliament and regions within the federal State having their own elected assemblies with Israeli and Palestinian members based on their populations.
Defence, and foreign affairs in particular, and other ministry subjects that needs to be coordinated and managed centrally, could be the responsibility of the Federal government, while subjects such as education and health etc, devolved to the regions. In terms of compromise, it may be necessary for Palestinians to accept some Israeli settlements as part of Israel and for Isreal to withdraw from some settlements and restore the lands back to Palestine. The opening of new Israeli settlements in mutually agreed areas to house the inhabitants of settlements being handed back to the Palestinians may be a contentious but a necessary arrangement for the long-term peace between both communities.
Palestinians and Israelis share so much of their ancient history. That shared history could be the foundation to build a future that both communities could share together for the present generation and even more importantly, for generations to come. Spending more and more on defence will not assure peace, it will only enrich the defence industry as it has, and been reported, and resulting in making life a misery for the Palestinians. The Israeli Palestine conflict is such an instance. However, if people in Israel and Palestine take a step back and resolve to negotiate and come up with a political solution, consider options including the one proposed here, the longer-term benefit will be peace and security in their countries and in the region, and equality and equity for both communities.
Jayamangala Gathas are a set of eight benedictory Buddhist stanzas sung at auspicious occasions such as the commencement of new ventures like opening ceremonies, weddings, undertaking long voyages etc.
Jayamangala Gathas are very melodious. These Buddhist hymns are usually sung by 6 – 8 young teenage girls clad in lama sari.
The Gathas are simple, yet so moving. They evoke a sense of peace and solace.
These Pali lyrics extoll the virtues of Lord Buddha – his redemption, grace and great victories.
They also relate the success and prosperity that were enunciated by Lord Buddha in the Four Wheels of Dhamma.
Some say the tone of the Gathas are so beautiful, they create a sense of hauntingnes – a sadness type feeling that lingers in the mind of the listener for a long time.
The uniqueness in the Gathas is that they are endemic to Sri Lanka. Created in the Kandyan Kingdom either in the 16th or 17th century, even the British Raj did not interfere with its usage. The British colonial governments gave a freehand for these Buddhist hymns to flourish.
They realised how important these Gathas are to the Buddhists (just as how ‘Amazing Grace’ is important to the Christians).
Since recently, several Theravada Buddhist countries have picked Jayamangala Gatha to be sung in their auspicious occasions.
After Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948, we continue to use Jayamangala Gatha widely. They have been a must in every important government function, be they right or left-wing governments.
They are an indispensable hymn not only in important government events but also in private Sinhala Buddhist functions.
But, an incredible incident happened in November 2024. The newly elected government decided not to use Jayamangala Gatha at the inauguration of its President.
Why?
The government has not provided a just explanation, apart from stating that it wanted to save costs. But, singing Jayamangala Gatha at the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony would not have cost the government more than Rs 50,000.
We know JVP (now NPP) is a party that fights against traditions, values and conservatism. They are against history.
There is the allegation that the government tries to inhibit the teaching of history to school children.
In the US (and perhaps in Australia) this could be seen as a serious offence.
For Americans, history is 2nd only to the country’s defence.
Though previously leftist, the JVP (NPP) now proclaims Liberalism.
That is ok and perhaps good.
Liberalism means willingness to accept behaviours and opinions of others that are different to self. Liberals respect individual rights, civil liberties, democracy and free enterprise. For Leftist Liberals (like NPP), history is less important.
But, traditions, values, conservatism and history (rejected by Leftist Liberals) are very important for a country to move forward. They tell us who we are, why we are like today and where we are heading. As stated before, in developed countries, suppressing or faking history is considered an offence.
It is thanks to traditions, values etc that we have existed as a great civilization – 2500 years old.
NPP now goes patronaging Buddhist temples (of course, for vote grabbing). The whole country knows they have been ardent atheists.
In the past, some of their leaders have openly criticised the concept that Sri Lanka is Sinhala Buddhist.
Some have canvassed to eliminate the Article 9 from the Constitution. This Article obliges the government to grant foremost place to Buddhism.
We should not be surprised about such acts. They are a group that has revolted against the State on two occasions (in 1971 and 1988). It is they who introduced terrorism to this country. After independence, until 1971, Sri Lanka was a peaceful nation. Even Prabhakaran learnt the ABC of terrorism from the JVP’s 1971 insurrection.
In the late 1980’s this group destroyed hundreds of electricity substations and transformers owned by the state, burnt down hundreds of government owned buses/other vehicles, attacked government’s military establishments and killed hundreds of innocent law-abiding citizens like Vijaya Kumaranathunga, Professor Stanley Wijesundera, Dr Gladys Jayewardene and Premakeerthi De Alwis. The list is endless.
Thus, we should not be surprised that such a group has no respect to Jayamangala Gatha and that they discreetly want it out.
Leaving their ugly past behind, let us hope that the NPP will reform and not indulge in such heinous/atrocious acts again (like in 1971 and 1988).
Given that they now rule Sri Lanka, let us hope that they will instill in genuine patriotism, not fake.
This is very important, otherwise the LTTE could rise its ugly head again. The new government is showing too much affinity with Tamil Separatists.
Will NPP allow the formation of the Tamil Eelam? By judging their extremely progressive Liberal ideology, they might support same if a strong Tamil Freedom Movement erupts again in the North and the East. Under a NPP government, should we be prepared for two states within one Sri Lanka? Yes.
Finally, let us hope that the NPP government will boldly use Jayamangala Gatha in good, genuine intention in the nation’s future events.
N Sathiya Moorthy Courtesy Ceylon Today 1 August 2025
For the uninitiated readers of the national media, and possibly the majority Sinhala media, Chemmani may yet to happen. But after weeks of digging up unmarked graves in Northern Jaffna town, Government officials under Court supervision have already taken out over a hundred human skeletons, including those of infants and grown-up children. The numbers are growing with each passing day of digging, which is at times halted for logistics reasons, one should assume.
Yes, only scientific studies would show if they are of recent origin, but the fact that they have been recovered from dig-outs six to eight metres deep may indicate that they are not ancient. Yet, they are historic in their own way, adding heft to the Tamils’ charges that the Armed Forces ruthlessly killed their civilians during the three-decade-long ethnic war – and are yet to be held accountable.
There are two sides to the coin. On the one side is the Tamil grouse about injustice and ‘State-sponsored violence’ on innocents during the war years. On the other hand is the Southern Sinhala argument that has not found full expression this time that all those whose bodies were recovered were LTTE ‘terrorists’, who were ‘waging a war’ on the Sri Lankan State. Be it as it may, they would still have to explain how an infant’s skeleton in her mother’s hands was also among those recovered from the Chemmani dig-up. Unlike someone who is ready to prove that the mother was an LTTE cadre and her child had died with her while fighting or resisting the Armed Forces, all such arguments fall flat. Even then, the question remains if the infant was dead or alive when buried. Imagine if it were alive when buried, the cruelty of the war and violence would stand out more than already.
Decent closure
Fifteen-plus years down the line, the war deaths require a closure, a decent closure. As a war-victorious President, Mahinda Rajapaksa could have done it on day one. While kissing the motherland at the Katunayake Airport on return from Jordan at the end of the war, he could have declared that he also prayed for the war deaths, both Sinhalese and Tamils, Armed Forces personnel and LTTE militants/terrorists – and more so civilians of all ethnic hues.
Mahinda had a second opportunity when he addressed Parliament, where he announced the war victory and declared the end of the war. He could have taken the Tamils as a community that too had suffered, and whose deaths, too, the nation mourned. Even if the Government did not mean to apologise to the Tamil community, with appropriate wording, he could have conveyed it to the Tamils and at the same time implied to the Sinhala majoritarians that he was referring only to the innocent Tamil victims of the LTTE. In technical terms, they constituted what’s accepted as ‘collateral damage’ of the war, but whose numbers were a legion.
Instead, under wrong advice, the President claimed that there were no civilian deaths, meaning Tamil civilian deaths. Later, his brother and then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa repeated the claim ad nauseam without bothering about challenges and consequences, especially from the international community (read: West). And the Rajapaksa Brothers were well aware of the ‘international consequences’ of their ‘shifting the goalposts’ on a post-war political solution. They were even aware where it would come from – by the US and the rest, through the instrument of the UNHRC. Their chest-thumping did the nation in.
Instead, if the Government had conceded that there were ‘unavoidable’ civilian casualties and given a credible number, and apologised to their families and the larger community, maybe that could have set in motion the closure process, if not becoming closure itself. In the weeks and months surrounding the first US-sponsored UNHRC resolution on ‘war crimes’ and ‘accountability issues’ in Sri Lanka, an erstwhile Government representative had put the number of civilian war deaths at around 5,000.
Acceptable fatalities
The number made sense even three years after the end of the war, as in those weeks and months since May 2009 and later, most Western diplomats in Colombo were known to have come to some kind of a consensus that (only) 5,000-8,000 Tamil civilians might have been killed in the last phase(s) of the war. Better still for the Government, they were actually defending the Government and supporting the Armed Forces that in a ‘hostage-release situation’ that they had faced, the fatality figure was ‘acceptable’.
Recall how weeks before the end of the war, the Armed Forces had freed nearly 300,000 Tamil civilians from the clutches of the LTTE at Mullivaikkal. Even Tamil civilians who now talk about Mullivaikkal as the venue where the Armed Forces exterminated the world’s most dreaded terrorist organisation of the day, are woefully short on truth about their own freedom from the LTTE’s clutches. They all seem to have suffered an amnesia in the matter – which continues till today, and will live beyond their times, too.
The fact is that at the conclusion of the war, Western governments and their representatives in the country said that they accepted that it was the largest hostage-taking incident in the world, and the loss of up to 8,000 civilian lives in a total of around 300,000, was well within the ‘acceptable range’ of five per cent. In fact, the figure worked out only to 2.5 per cent or thereabouts, as they had calculated for the benefit of their domestic listeners, especially the sorrowful Tamil leadership.
Human shields
Granting later-day human-shield figures of 150,000, instead of the originally projected figure of 300,000, the civilian casualties in what the West readily conceded as ‘extended action’ that lasted weeks, doubled to, say, five per cent. Sri Lanka’s concerns grew only after the Government went into a ‘denial mode’.
So, when the Darusman Report put the number of civilian deaths at a high 40,000 without evidence, the Tamil Diaspora, especially and their Western backers, used the figure to erase all memories of the LTTE’s hostage-taking and human shields. And they succeeded, as the Government also did not refer to the human shields any more. So did the Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarian nationalists, to this day.
Nowhere else in contemporary history have you come across a more gruesome guerrilla leader who had used his civilian backers as unsuspecting human shields to protect himself from harm’s way – the Armed Forces, their guns and missiles. Recall for how many long years /decades Prabhakaran held on to the charade by claiming that he had adopted the parents and siblings of his ‘war heroes’ or ‘maveerars’, or ‘martyrs’, and was taking them along wherever he went or retreated – and without anyone suspecting him. You will then and then alone accept how cold-blooded the man was, and how selfish and self-centred his security tactics, too, were.
It may be wrong to charge the Rajapaksas, the Armed Forces or the Sri Lankan State with ‘triumphalism’, which is yet another Western idiom that found its way into Sri Lankan NGO lexicons almost from day one of the war’s end. Yet, there is no denying that they left behind the war and its memories to live their new lives, denied to them by war, violence and terrorism in capital Colombo and further Down South. That was the mistake for which the nation is still paying.
Ethnic spite
To this day, whether it is this Government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake or those before him, no Sri Lankan ruler or dispensation has taken a more sympathetic and empathetic view of Tamil civilian deaths during those war years. As the Muttur massacre in the East showed after the LTTE revived hostilities in 2006, the well-armed and trained outfit was pulling out its guns after firing, in civilian localities, so that the Armed Forces’ heat-seeking weapons would end up killing civilians and destroying their homes, hospitals, schools and places of worship.
This was happening all along in the war zones of the North and the East, but the ‘more knowledgeable’ Western interlocutors wanted to believe that the Armed Forces were wantonly targeting hospitals and schools in the Tamil areas, out of ethnic spite, at times dating back by decades and at other times, by centuries – to the days of Dutugemunu and Elara two thousand years ago, and of Rajaraja Chola’s invasion a thousand years later.
Today, Chemmani is a reality, and so are the skeletons that are falling out of those graves, and literally so. The Government needs greater sensitivity than its predecessors since 2009. Comprising leaders from the JVP, which too lost its ‘soldiers’ in their tens of thousands during their two insurgencies, in 1971 and 1987-89, this Government will be watched closely by their own dead cadres’ surviving family members, as to their sensitivity and sensibility in discussing, debating and deciding upon civilian deaths in another part of the country – but under near-similar circumstance.
It will mean a lot for national reconciliation that the Government hopes to achieve through the much-promised and even more delayed constitutional process, in the form of a new Constitution, that is.
– Sri Lanka’s Innovation and source of National Pride
Answer from Chat GPT The Decision Review System (DRS) in cricket, a technology that allows players to challenge umpire decisions, is a Sri Lankan innovation conceived by lawyer Senaka Weeraratna.
While DRS has significantly improved the fairness and accuracy of cricket, Sri Lanka has not received due recognition or financial benefit for its invention.
Here’s a breakdown of DRS and Sri Lanka’s connection:
The Concept: Senaka Weeraratna, a Sri Lankan lawyer, proposed the Player Referral System in 1997, envisioning a mechanism for players to appeal contentious umpire decisions. This system, later known as DRS, allows for the review of decisions by the third umpire, using technology like Hawkeye and Hot Spot.
Sri Lanka’s Role: The idea of DRS originated in Sri Lanka and was a direct result of Weeraratna’s legal background and his observation of the need for an appeals process in cricket.
Global Adoption: The International Cricket Council (ICC) adopted the concept in 2006, gradually implementing it across various formats of the game, including Test matches, One Day Internationals, and T20 matches.
Lack of Recognition and Compensation: Despite the widespread use of DRS, Sri Lanka has not received formal recognition from the ICC for its invention, nor has it benefited financially from its implementation.
This has led to calls for the ICC to acknowledge Sri Lanka’s contribution and provide appropriate compensation.
Pride and Innovation: The DRS is seen as a source of pride for Sri Lanka, showcasing the country’s ingenuity and contribution to the evolution of cricket.
However, the lack of recognition has also sparked disappointment and a desire for the ICC to acknowledge Sri Lanka’s pioneering role.
Future Steps: There are ongoing efforts to formally claim recognition and compensation for Sri Lanka’s invention of DRS. These efforts include gathering evidence of Sri Lanka’s authorship, engaging with the ICC, and potentially pursuing legal action. https://www.shenaliwaduge.com/who-will-investigate-iccs-wrongdoing-and-lapses/
Yes, both Arjuna Ranatunga and Senaka Weeraratna have significantly contributed to the rise of Sri Lanka’s stature in the cricket world, though in different ways.
Arjuna Ranatunga is renowned for his captaincy, leading Sri Lanka to their historic 1996 World Cup victory. Senaka Weeraratna is credited with proposing the original concept of the Decision Review System (DRS), which revolutionized cricket officiating.
Arjuna Ranatunga’s Contributions:
Captaincy: He captained Sri Lanka for over a decade, transforming the team from underdogs into world champions.
1996 World Cup Victory: His leadership during the 1996 World Cup is considered a pivotal moment in Sri Lankan cricket history.
Inspirational Leadership: He inspired a generation of cricketers and instilled a winning mentality in the team, according to a Facebook post.
Transforming Sri Lankan Cricket: He is credited with transforming Sri Lankan cricket from a team that “could win games” to one that could win major tournaments, according to lionsofsl.lk.
Senaka Weeraratna’s Contributions:
Inventor of DRS: He is recognized as the originator of the idea for a player referral system, which eventually evolved into the DRS used worldwide.
Transforming Cricket: The DRS, based on his concept, has significantly impacted the fairness and accuracy of umpiring decisions.
(Captain – Royal College Cricket, 1958, Head Prefect, Dornhorst Prize winner and Coloursman in five sports, the recipient of the prestigious Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Award (1959), and played cricket for Cambridge University under Mike Brearley, who later captained England).
It’s Royal Thomian and other schools’ Big Match time in Sri Lanka and a most appropriate moment to acknowledge the monumental innovation by a distinguished Royalist who revolutionized the way cricket is played today. He is Senaka Weeraratna, the unsung architect of the Decision Review System (DRS).
Cricket, often called the Gentleman’s Game,” has changed much over the years. One of the biggest changes has been in the use of technology to make the game fairer and more efficient. The DRS is one of the most important innovations in cricket, allowing players to challenge disputed umpiring decisions going against the entrenched tradition that the umpire’s word was law.”. It is not so now largely because of a brilliant concept called ‘Player Referral’ conceived by Senaka Weeraratna, a Sri Lankan lawyer.
A vision ahead of Its time
Weeraratna first proposed the idea of a ‘Player Referral’ System in a letter to the Editor of ‘The Australian’ newspaper published on March 25, 1997. He suggested that players should be allowed to appeal against erroneous umpiring decisions which would then be reviewed by a third umpire using slow motion video playbacks to make an accurate decision.
His argument was simple:
If you have the technology to detect an error of an umpire, then the same technology must be used to correct the error of an umpire.” Unfortunately, a few people know that the idea for this revolutionary system change in the most popular game in British Commonwealth countries came from one man, Senaka Weeraratna, who has yet to receive due recognition from the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Since the publication of his groundbreaking proposal in Australia in 1997 to this date (altogether 28 years) he remains unchallenged as the author, innovator, inventor of this remarkable system. He is the only claimant in the world for this recognition with irrefutable evidence to substantiate his claim. Cricket has always been a game that values fairness and justice, but for years, mistakes by umpires went uncorrected—even when millions of viewers could see the error on TV.
From concept to implementation
Weeraratna’s proposal has these four important elements: 1. Allow dissatisfied players to challenge an umpire’s decision. 2. Route the appeal through the team captain (when fielding) or the dismissed batsman (when batting).
3. Have the third umpire review the decision.
4. Limit the number of appeals per innings to prevent the protraction of the game through frivolous appeals.
His concept was published in several well-known newspapers, including The Australian, The Sunday Age (Australia), The Times of London, The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka), Dawn (Pakistan), Daily News (Sri Lanka), The Sunday Island (Sri Lanka), New Straits Times (Malaysia) and even the Time Magazine. The reputed ‘International Cricketer’ Magazine edited by Richard Hutton (Sir Len Hutton’s son, whom I played with for Cambridge University) also published his article.
Despite this enormous reception to his idea in the media in leading cricket playing nations, his innovative contribution to the reform of cricket rules for the purpose of due credit was ignored by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
In 2009, the ICC introduced the DRS, which was remarkably similar to Weeraratna’s concept from 12 years earlier. However, they did not credit anyone for the idea nor disclose the source of the concept.
The battle for recognition
Unlike the Duckworth-Lewis method, which is named after its creators, the DRS has no officially recognized inventor. This is very unfair to Weeraratna, who has been fighting for recognition for years. As cricket historian Michael Roberts pointed out: Both the DRS in cricket and Goal Line Technology in soccer have a common origin in the ‘Player Referral’ concept conceived by Senaka Weeraratna in 1997.” The ICC, which is supposed to uphold the spirit of fairness in cricket, has a bounden duty to recognize this gentleman.
A call for justice
If cricket truly values justice, the ICC must acknowledge Senaka Weeraratna as the creator of the DRS. Recognizing him is not just about giving him credit; it is about upholding the principles of fairness and integrity that cricket unequivocally stands for.
Many inventors in sports history have been recognized for their contributions. ICC should do the same. Weeraratna’s idea has not only changed the face of cricket but has also influenced other sports like tennis and football, where technology is now used to assist referees.
The Decision Review System has forever changed the way cricket is played. Behind this system is a man whose vision made it possible. It is time for the world to recognize Senaka Weeraratna—the true father of DRS.
Senaka Weeraratna, a proud alumnus of Royal College, belongs to the Class of 1960 (the Olive Group). He has also authored / edited a number of books and articles on various topics ranging from the law relating to foreign investment in Sri Lanka, Public Unit Trusts, History of Royal College, Biographies of eminent lawyers (C.R. de Silva, and Maithri Panagoda), Animal Rights and Animal Welfare Bill, and Global Buddhism and in particular Buddhism in Germany.
In school he was a member of the Royal College Chess Team and Captained the College Chess team in 1967, the winner of the School Table Tennis Doubles championship (1966). He represented the school in Table Tennis (‘B’ team) and played House Cricket.
It’s a sheer travesty of Justice that due recognition has not been forthcoming.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the Sri Lankan Government must take this matter seriously and ensure that Weeraratna receives the recognition he deserves, both locally and internationally. If the ICC officially acknowledges him, it will not only honor a Sri Lankan innovator but also profoundly raise Sri Lanka’s image and stature in the global world.
GoSL says while same may be required to examine skeletal remains or for advanced forensic tests, no other int’l intervention required as it supports ongoing process
The Government stated that although it may need to seek technical assistance from international experts to examine skeletal remains discovered at mass graves such as Chemmani, there will be no need for any other form of international intervention, as it fully supports the ongoing investigation process.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Minister of National Integration Muneer Mulaffer said that while there has long been a call from some groups in the north for international involvement in such investigations, the Government, he insisted, has not obstructed any part of the current probes.
There is already space for a fair investigation. If we need international technical help, say for identifying skeletal remains or conducting advanced forensic testing, that’s something that we can discuss. But, apart from that, there’s no need for another type of intervention, because we are giving our full support,” he added.
His remarks follow renewed calls for international oversight after more than 100 skeletal remains were found at the Chemmani mass grave site. The Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani Leader, President’s Counsel and former Northern Chief Minister and Supreme Court Justice, C.V. Wigneswaran recently called for an international oversight mechanism, claiming that there is a breakdown of public trust in the local authorities.
Last week, the International Commission of Jurists also called for international oversight of the Chemmani excavation, describing a victim-centred process as an important first step toward truth and accountability. It urged the Government to ensure that all investigative and exhumation efforts align with international human rights standards, including the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death.
The Chemmani site is one of several known mass graves in Sri Lanka linked to alleged enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, particularly during the civil conflict. Discovered in the late 1990s, Chemmani came into focus again this year after excavation teams uncovered over 100 skeletal remains. Other sites, including those in Mannar, Matale, and Sathurukondan, have similarly revealed mass graves over the years, but few have led to successful prosecutions.
The government admits that 20,000 students have dropped out of school, while another 80,000 do not attend classes regularly. Inequality is increasing in a system marked by economic crisis and a lack of subsidies. Teachers and unions complain: No one is trying to get these kids back to school.”
Colombo (AsiaNews) – In Sri Lanka, the economic crisis has left a dramatic mark on the education sector: about 100,000 students are somehow out of the school system, of whom 20,000 have dropped out, while another 80,000 no longer attend classes regularly.
This is the alarming picture that emerged from a survey by the Ministry of Education, the results of which were announced in recent days by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, who is also Minister of Higher Education and Vocational Training, during a meeting with school officials in the province of Sabaragamuwa.
The data confirms a trend already observed in recent years: the number of students enrolled in public schools has fallen from 4,063,685 in 2020 to 3,882,688 in 2025. The economic crisis that erupted in 2022 has had a severe impact on families.
Despite around 300,000 new enrolments each year, access to education is increasingly unequal between schools in some large cities and schools in the rest of the country.
These figures confirm the seriousness of the situation,” university professors Darshana Hewawitharana and Kamanthi Alwis told AsiaNews. Dropout rates remain worrying. The government has not yet taken effective measures to prevent school disruption and many students receive insufficient aid.”
Over two million pupils have difficulty purchasing school supplies, but the state subsidy of 6,000 rupees (less than 20 euros) has been distributed to less than 400,000 students. In some areas,” they point out, less than 20% of pupils receive adequate support. Many cannot even afford a full meal, so several students faint at school from hunger.”
According to the teachers’ union (CTU), about 3% of students drop out after primary school, and the percentage rises to 11% after ninth grade: a figure that has almost doubled compared to previous years.
Half of the students,” explains CTU president Priyantha Fernando, do not make it to the exams at the end of the first cycle of secondary school. The main reason is economic: they cannot even afford notebooks and pens.” A ministry survey confirms that 52% of school dropouts are due to financial difficulties. But no one is seriously trying to get these kids back to school,” Fernando added.
Even in urban areas, such as the capital Colombo, there has been a decline in enrollment. CTU Secretary General Joseph Stalin warns that the increase in social inequality is a direct consequence of school dropouts. The authorities must take responsibility for this crisis and focus their attention not only on elite schools, but above all on the poorest students.”
The Sri Lankan government has announced a comprehensive reform of the school system starting in 2026. But according to teachers, activists, and scholars, the right to education for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable students cannot wait another two years.
Former school principals such as Nishantha Ranaweera and Kumari Wijepala report that many students have dropped out of school to help their families by working as laborers or domestic workers. Some local benefactors try to provide meals and school supplies, but they cannot meet the needs of entire communities on their own.”
Melco and JKH launch South Asia’s first integrated resort, highlighting Sri Lanka’s regulatory reforms and regional potential.
Key points:
– $1.2bn investment by John Keells Holdings and Melco Resorts
– Sri Lanka aims to become a regional gaming and tourism hub
– New gaming legislation enabled formal licensing and international entry
Sri Lanka has officially opened its largest private sector development on 2 August with the launch of City of Dreams Sri Lanka, a project valued at over $1.2bn.
Located in Colombo, the resort is a joint venture between local conglomerate John Keells Holdings and international casino operator Melco Resorts & Entertainment. It is being described as South Asia’s first integrated resort.
The complex includes two luxury hotels, Cinnamon Life with 687 rooms and NÜWA with 113 ultra-luxury rooms, as well as a Melco-operated casino, 17 dining venues, a high-end retail promenade, event spaces and residences. The resort was designed as a complete lifestyle and tourism hub positioned to attract travellers from India, China, Russia and the Middle East.
At the opening event, Melco Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho said Sri Lanka had the opportunity to serve the Indian market in a similar way to how Macau serves ChinaAs, as quoted by The Island.
He noted that the country’s proximity and stability made it an attractive destination for high-value tourism, particularly as the region lacked comparable integrated resorts.
Good to know: Sri Lanka passed formal gaming legislation earlier, establishing a regulatory framework that was a key requirement for international operators like Melco
JKH Chairperson Krishan Balendra said the project’s development spanned over a decade and involved more than 500 local contributors. He added that the formal legal structure gave international investors confidence and allowed the partnership with Melco to materialise.
Balendra described the project as a strategic move to position Colombo as a premier location for entertainment, meetings and business travel.
‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!’
e-Con e-News 27 July – 02 August 2025
‘If John Keells goes down, it takes half of Sri Lankan capitalism with it…
The government might have to choose between a bailout or economic chaos.’
– SJB MP (see ee Economists, The John Keells Collapse)
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India, Russia Can Take Their Dead Economies Down Together
– US President Donald Trump
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‘In the looming confrontation between the US-led Collective West & Russia,
Trump is threatening that if India does not join the Western camp, there is
going to be a heavy price to pay. He may even sanction Indian entities &
officials. Now, visa denial will be the unkindest cut of all for the Indian elite.’
– MK Bhadrakumar (ee Sovereignty, A Frenemy named Donald Trump)
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The recent arrest of a high-profile former Navy Commander came a few days before the US government signaled a token reduction of their threatened tariffs on Sri Lanka’s exports. After prolonged handwringing and groaning about possible harm to employment and closure of export-related businesses, the USA’s promise of a tariff reduction, despite being short on details, was greeted with concerted groveling and applause by the usual export mafia of chambers & associations, related politicians and US-funded media & thinktanks: this corporate mafia are attempting to pull the country back from the abyss, their wholesale endorsement of merchant & usurer capitalism imposed by the colonial import-export plantation is driving us all into.
Meanwhile, following a ‘security’ policy dialogue with Japan, there has been an attempt by importers from Japanese auto junkyards to bring down John Keells Holdings (JKH) for importing (BYD) electric vehicles from China. They claim JKH provided fraudulent engine specifications to the revenue authorities, to avoid huge taxes. The USA’s IMF has been insisting that Sri Lanka import more cars, as its twin, the World Bank, is an investor in the ‘private’ Commercial Bank of Ceylon (ComBank), which finances the import of Japan’s Toyota vehicles.
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Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) based on a letter allegedly sent from a detention centre in Pothuhera, where ‘an individual’ (so far unnamed in media) had supposedly been murdered in 2010. Ulugetenne was Head of Naval Intelligence at the time, and the alleged victim was reportedly held in the clandestine facility operated under his command.
Ulugetenne is said to have played a key role in intercepting LTTE arms supply vessels. He was later made an ambassador to Cuba. Ulugetenne is also credited with saving former President Gotabhaya Rajapakse’s life by helping him to escape a mob that was allowed to invade the Presidential Palace. They have since then kept baying for his blood, and still do. If the then-President had been harmed, as the US government through its envoy had purportedly threatened to do, a bloodbath would surely have ensued. Such US threats, as well as assassinations & incarcerations of military and national leaders, have been evident more recently also in Haiti, Honduras, and Peru.
More such arrests are being planned.
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What we have is a PR makeover of standard international financial flows
– just dressed up in a populist narrative. So, when Japan ‘invests in the US’
it’s basically just shifting existing or incoming dollars into different forms
of US assets – not new capital, just recycled surplus – Warwick Powell
(see ee Economy, Window dressing: the Japan-US ‘investment deal’)
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The US claims about the imposition and reductions of tariffs are immediately challenged by the more ‘developed’ countries involved, even though the merchant media including in Sri Lanka reports them as gospel truth. It is also blatantly clear that the US tariffs have less to do with seeking equitable trade & enabling industrialization, than with ensuring & extending US domination. The USA’s 50% tariff on Brazil accompanies their demand for interference in Brazil’s judiciary to exonerate a former President accused of an attempted coup, while threatening other countries who join the BRICS, etc. The US & Europe are apparently mortified at any attempt by countries to collectively challenge the ongoing practice of their multinational corporations (MNCs) to play workers against each other, driving wages down. The US calculations of tariffs have, however, underplayed our huge net imports of US ‘services’ as well as royalty payments for intellectual property rights (IPR), etc.
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‘No digital space is 100% secure. Data is systematically collected
& used to assess & classify individuals & groups based on
their behavioral patterns & political or intellectual orientations.’
– see ee Quotes, Spying on Personal Data
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In addition to using the tariffs to divide & tame socialist & nationalist forces in Sri Lanka by harassing, jailing & decapitating leaders, the US is trying to prevent an actual accounting of the state of international relations, including such economic measures as taxes on especially services, and more particularly, digital services. The US is also trying to obstruct & eliminate the proposed taxes on digital services, such has Google, FB & Hollywood (Netflix, Youtube), etc, which will begin on 1 October. Their subversion of such laws is linked to the larger challenge of controlling multinational banks & corporations, with budgets larger than the economies of most countries. (see ee Quotes, VAT vs Digital Tax)
The USA’s ‘Magnificent 7’ high-tech companies (NVIDIA, Microsoft, Alphabet/Google, Apple, Meta, Tesla, & Amazon: see ee Quotes) now dominate their economy & their politicians, and are supposed to be highly hyped, inflated & vulnerable – with most also profiting off the ongoing starvation of Palestinians. While their countries never divulge the actual state of their economic & military machineries, corporations & banks, generally, are plagued by a falling rate of profit, and the failure to provide increasing dividends to their shareholders (see ee Quotes, Fake Dividends).
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AKD’s silent, pragmatic leadership enabled US tariffs to 20%
– Malik Samarawickrama, Economic advisor to UNP leader
Ranil Wickremesinghe (see ee Economists)
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The USA’s promised ‘reduction’ of their inflated ‘tariffs’ have been profusely hailed by ‘industry bodies’ aka merchant mafia, eg, the Planters’ Association, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), Exporters Association (EASL), Association of Manufacturers & Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP), Colombo Rubber Traders’ Association (CRTA). Despite claiming to be ‘of Sri Lanka’, these associations are fronts for the English & US MNCs (eg, Exxon, Unilever, CTC, Proctor & Gamble, etc.) & banks (Standard Chartered, Ciitbank, etc.), who are the real source of so-called corruption (actually, business as usual) through their tax magic & transfer pricing, over- & under-invoicing.
The merchant & moneylender mafia in Sri Lanka know very clearly that the US & England & EU through their control of the internet, etc., are well aware of their exorbitant acquisitions of offshore assets in real estate etc, with the cash from their exports never ever being transferred into. They are taken out of Sri Lanka, tax-free, often stolen from other Sri Lankans or the state. Concealed by so-called (London or US) chartered accountants in chains of transfers between opaque holding companies, trusts & cutouts, they are laundered in violation of Sri Lankan statutes on money laundering, ignoring orders by the government or the Central Bank. Being exposed, or being cut-off from accessing their ill-gotten wealth via visas etc, ensures their submission to the USA. Sri Lankan money is being held in famed tax hideouts as England’s Guernsey, Isle of Man, Cyprus, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Luxembourg, Bermuda (many with the English King or Queen’s head on their stamps!) and the USA’s Delaware, Nevada, & South Dakota; as well as Singapore, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Panama, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica.
The US threats to take Sri Lanka’s and most other countries’ leaders & economies down, are accompanied by increased war mongering. With their loss of profits and increasing unemployment, with the USA deploying nuclear subs ever closer to Russia, midst the sparking of proxy wars between countries in Asia & Africa, Sri Lanka has little choice for real survival but to abandon fake political partisanship and unite internally & internationally, to face the coming days. Nationalism & internationalism has to be girded by strong economic (modern industrial, the making of machines, not assembly, not just labor-intensive manufacture) policies & practices, that will enable the rule of the real producers, i.e., the working class.
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• This ee Focus continues its reproduction of Chapter 1 of SBD de Silva’s Introduction to his classic The Political Economy of Underdevelopment (PEU). Here de Silva challenges the claim that the import-export plantation economy is more modern compared to peasant agriculture, and has impulses and advances to impart. This excerpt looks at the attempt to go beyond the limitations of neoclassical economic theory, by focusing on human foibles and so-called good governance (corruption etc). They blame Theravada Buddhism, primordial ethnicities, lack of civilization, etc. He also examines the critiques by so-called independent Marxists, focusing not on production but on distribution, and unequal exchange (dependency theory, promoted by white academia), etc. SBD emphasized Marx’s insistence that he had studied in detail only England’s trajectory into industrialization, and economists should be careful about crudely imposing his ‘historical sketch’ onto our countries.
This ee Focus also continues looking at the roots of demagoguery in the white settler dominion called the USA, through Gustavus Myers’ 1917 History of Tammany Hall, an early charitable NGO! This excerpt looks at the rise of the ‘big boss’ system – through the testimony of its later-indicted leader ‘Boss Tweed,’ after he was broken and diseased, about the control of politicians & elections, judiciary & police, through thuggery, fraud and the distribution of municipal contracts & employment…
By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya Courtesy The Daily Mirror
300 Police officers suspended in 2025 for corruption
In 2025, Sri Lanka witnessed an unprecedented crackdown on police corruption, with over 300 officers suspended for various offences, including direct involvement in drug trafficking and abuse of power, a Minister said.
Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala said that the year has seen a dramatic rise in disciplinary action within the police force compared to 2024, where 200 officers were removed from their service in connection with the incidents related to misconduct, including having links to drug dealers and organised crime groups, assaults on suspects, deaths in custody, and illegal detentions.
The year has already seen multiple high-profile incidents. In the latest incident, the OIC of the Okkampitiya Police Station has been suspended after he was arrested by officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption for allegedly soliciting a bribe of Rs. 40,000 from a businessman in Okkampitiya, in connection with a sand mining operation.
The Bribery Commission has arrested at least 10 police officers by mid-2025 on various bribery and corruption charges. One of the serious cases involved the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Poovarasankulam Police Station, who was arrested inside his office for accepting a Rs. 500,000 bribe to settle a land dispute.
Another serious case took place in Ragama, where two officers from the Western Province Crime Division were arrested for fabricating a narcotics possession case. The officers falsely accused a man of possessing 50 grams of illegal drugs and demanded Rs. 500,000 to drop the charges. They initially accepted Rs. 180,000 and held the victim’s wife’s passport as collateral before being caught during the final handover.
While some of the suspended officers were involved in minor bribery, such as a constable in Arachchikattuwa who took Rs. 1,500 to issue a clearance certificate, others were deeply entangled in more severe crimes, including shielding known traffickers and planting false evidence.
According to the reports, many police officers who had links with underworld figures and drug traffickers have also been suspended. Last month, three Police Constables attached to the Maradana Police Station were interdicted after being found to have maintained links with drug traffickers. In July, three police officers attached to stations in the Matara Police Division were suspended following misconduct at a spa in the Walgama area. In May, a police sergeant from Gokarella Police Station was suspended after a video went viral showing him assaulting a civilian during a late-night stop involving a man and a woman reportedly speeding on a motorcycle.
The crackdown has also extended to officers using illegal drugs. According to the Ministry, dozens of officers have been dismissed after testing positive for substances such as heroin and synthetic drugs like ICE. Intelligence and Special Investigations units compiled a list of suspected officers, who were later tested and removed from service following confirmation by the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board.
Minister Wijepala said that under the current government, roughly 2,000 to 3,000 internal investigations have been launched into police misconduct, particularly concerning links to drug trafficking and peddling and other organised crimes.
He said that disciplinary action will be taken without exception, even against long-serving or senior officers. Some officers with over 25 years in public service have lost their pension rights due to corruption findings.
The public must trust the police. We cannot afford to have a force tainted by criminality,” he said. These steps are critical in addressing our country’s drug crisis and restoring public confidence.”
The minister also said that several top positions in key law enforcement institutions are currently filled by acting officials, as the former officeholders are under investigation or involved in ongoing legal matters.
Why is that the case? The Controller General of Immigration is in remand custody. The Inspector General of Police has been imprisoned and is now out on bail. The Commissioner of Prisons was jailed in his prison and is also out on bail,” he said.
As a result, these key institutions are now led by officials in acting roles. This is what happens when public service is treated as a mere job or a personal opportunity.”
That is why we, as a government, must ensure that the law is enforced against anyone who commits an illegal act, regardless of their rank or position,” Minister Wijepala said.
Colombo, August 3 (Daily Mirror) – Foreign tourists arriving in Sri Lanka can obtain temporary driving licenses directly at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at Katunayake from today.
The on-arrival service counter, launched today aims to enhance convenience for travellers, particularly those who rent vehicles near the airport and prefer to drive during their stay.
Previously, tourists could only obtain temporary driving permits from the Department of Motor Traffic in Werahera.
According to the Ministry, most tourists use motorcycles, three-wheelers and light vehicles to travel across the island.
However, under the new system, licenses will be issued only for motorcycles and light vehicle categories. Driving permits for heavy vehicles and three-wheelers will not be provided through the BIA counter.
To apply for a temporary Sri Lankan driving license at the airport, foreigners must present a valid full driving license from their home country. Learner, probationary, provisional or temporary licenses will not be accepted. If the license is not in English, a certified translation is required. Applicants must also show a valid passport and visa.
The foreign driving license must be valid for at least one year from the date of conversion.
Temporary Sri Lankan licenses issued through this process will be valid for a maximum of five months. All restrictions noted on the foreign license—such as requirements for corrective lenses, use of automatic transmission or hearing aids—will be applied to the converted license as well.
The service will charge Rs. 2,000 per month of validity.
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