His sacking of Sri Lanka’s chief justice may have prompted new international condemnation, but analysts say President Mahinda Rajapaksa is not merely impervious to foreign criticism — he thrives on it.
Already cold-shouldered by the West after the bloody end to an ethnic conflict, Rajapaksa drew further flak this weekend by sealing the impeachment of Shirani […]

“Hitler seemed intent, in fact, on delivering these blows completely in the open so as to leave a deep and abiding impression, as if proclaiming from the rooftops his immutable will….”
– Joachim Fest (Plotting Hitler’s Death)
The end was preordained. The quintessentially Rajapaksa-impeachment produced a
quintessentially Rajapaksa Chief In-justice. Mohan Peiris, the trusted acolyte of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, […]

“An innocent Ploughman is more worthy than a vicious Prince.” – Benjamin Franklin
We never learn from history that is why we are condemned to relive it
History’s greatest lesson is that we never ever learn from it. That is why, as George Santayana’s famous quote says, we are condemned to relive it. Great Emperors of the past […]

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has acted swiftly after the impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani
Bandaranayake by Parliament to issue a Presidential decree that removes her from office. This letter has been delivered to the Chief Justice. However, there is considerable support from the legal fraternity that she remains Chief Justice regardless of the Presidential letter. This is […]

“Why couldn’t you at least get my child’s body down?” – Rizana’s mother queries the government (BBC – 11.1.2013)
Rizana Nafik was beheaded at 11.40 am on 9th January 2013. Two hours later, at 1.40 pm, Minister Dilan Perera informed the Lankan parliament that “the government has done everything to save Rizana and she will be released […]

For whom the Bell tolls!
01. The Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka purportedly consists of representatives elected by the Sovereign people of Sri Lanka. This Parliament is currently debating (on 10th and 11th January 2013), what is undoubtedly the most “momentous” issue ever placed on the order paper of Parliament. “Momentous” for the reason that their “inevitable”, […]

January 9, 2013, 8:45 pm
Dubious record
Earlier this week the Rajapaksa Administration added yet another dubious distinction to its
governance records by breaking decades of parliamentary tradition and forcing on the order paper of Parliament the debate and vote on the impeachment motion against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake.
Walked out
Traditionally and historically the agenda of parliament, is agreed […]

“Find out what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them….”Fredrick Douglass (Speech on 3.8.1857 – The Fredrick Douglass Papers)
The real ‘Hulftsdorf Coup’, plotted and unleashed by the Rajapaksa Brothers, is nearing its appointed end.
Parliament will debate
The parliament […]

A Supreme Court that has, in Judge Weeramantry’s estimation, been “a great pride to the country and has been highly esteemed both Domestically and Internationally” is faced with the threatened ignominy of sudden extinction.
The character of “Braveheart” who dared to retrieve the irretrievable, if not fatal damage caused
to the esteem of the Supreme Court, has […]

On 26th September, 2012 at the request of the National Issues Committee of the OPA, I drafted a press statement which was issued by the then President on 27th September under his signature and was thereafter unanimously approved by the OPA Forum on 28th September 2012.
Sad to say, the only apparent result of that statement […]