Monthly Archives: August 2011

Libya rebels, triumphant in Tripoli, now face a different kind of battle

How the rebels address immediate challenges – including regional and tribal divisions, as well as a thirst among some for revenge – will signal their ability to govern fairly in a new Libya.
Greatest asset lost
Libya’s rebels have lost one of their greatest assets, the common enemy that drove an untrained band of students, shopkeepers,
and bureaucrats into […]

By Kristen Chick and Gert Van Langendonck | Published on August 29, 2011 at 2:50 pm

Manifestation of Political Power and its Diversity

‘All human things are subject to decay and when fate summons monarchs must obey’– Excerpt from Mac Flecnoe (1682) John Dryden
‘’Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely’– John Emerich Edward Dalberg -1st Baron Acton also known as Lord Acton (1834-1902) Former Regius Professor of Modern History-University of Cambridge
Good and bad governments
Many forms of […]

By Lakshman Indranath Keerthisinghe | Published on August 29, 2011 at 2:43 pm

Saving the UNP from itself:Is Sri Lanka’s GOP capable of being reborn?

Perpetuating power
When analyzing the mess that United National Party finds itself in today, one cannot ignore a serious but latent feature
of the proportional representation system that was introduced with the 1978 constitution. The prime motive behind the PR system was, according to its author J R Jayewardene, the perpetuation of the UNP in power. If members […]

By Vishnuguptha | Published on August 29, 2011 at 2:29 pm

Thank You Sir, May We Have Another

Excerpts of Sunday Leader editorial:The government has not renewed Emergency Regulations, which is right and good. The draconian Prevention Of Terrorism Act, however, preserves much of the same powers, including search without warrants and detention without charge.
Since the government so boldly defeated terrorism years ago, it is only fitting that the PTA, too, be repealed.
Emergency […]

By The Sunday Leader | Published on August 28, 2011 at 1:47 am

Strategic takeover : Are we misreading Chinese largesse in Sri Lanka?

Beijing has considerable leverage in post conflict Sri Lanka. Chinese involvement in the defence sector has not reduced after the war,
and the Chinese are seen diversifying from being just suppliers of defence equipment to infrastructure and capacity building.
The Chinese have used North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) and subsequently the state-owned China Poly Technologies Limited for the […]

By Frederica Jansz | Published on August 27, 2011 at 4:55 am

The UNP, Ranil Wickremasinghe and politics of perversion

The leadership bout in the United National Party reached the second round last Wednesday, August 17, 2011 and it
belonged to Ranil Wickremasinghe. The battle was fought on the friendly confines of Ranil’s Working Committee where he enjoys a comfortable majority. But the man who is deficient in plans, strategy, tactics, craftiness and guile in bringing […]

By Vishnuguptha | Published on August 24, 2011 at 3:32 am

Women in Sri Lanka speak out against the recent spate of attacks on women, impunity and the breakdown of rule of law

This report is based on interviews given by affected women and women’s organisations working in the North and East.
In the month of August 2011 many women in the north and the east have been attacked individually, and the female
population terrorized more generally, by unidentified men, attackers now colloquially referred to as ‘Grease Yakas’. These incidents […]

By Women's Action Network | Published on August 24, 2011 at 2:55 am

More than 100 arrested in new Sri Lanka “Grease Devil” clash

COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lankan authorities on Tuesday arrested more than 100 people who threw rocks at police and soldiers who stopped them from chasing men thought to be “grease devils,” or nighttime prowlers who have sparked an island wide spate of deadly violence.
At least five people including a police officer have been killed over […]

By | Published on August 24, 2011 at 1:07 am

Grease devils challenge to post war security measures

With the end of the war against the LTTE in May 2009, the country has enjoyed more than two and a half years of peace without violent strikes by terrorist groups. There is popular acceptance that the strict anti terrorist measures and surveillance of the security forces backed by emergency laws has been responsible for […]

By Dr. Jehan Perera | Published on August 22, 2011 at 5:59 am

Blair: ‘Riots Not Caused By Broken Society’

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has weighed into the debate over this summer’s rioting, accusing David Cameron, Ed Miliband and his successor as Labour prime minister Gordon Brown of not properly understanding and addressing the underlying causes.
Writing in The Observer, he said suggestions that what happened shows Britain is in moral decline are nonsense.
“The big […]

By Peter Spencer | Published on August 21, 2011 at 7:04 am