After Soma Thera's death, fear spread among Christians that they might be attacked, and the old charge of 'unethical conversions' became a claim that Christian forces were killing Buddhist leaders. Ivan asks whether religion is becoming an explosive dividing line like race and language, and looks back to Asoka's empire
Voters face a third parliamentary election in four years, called not because Parliament's term ended or the government lost its majority but because of a power struggle. The editorial argues that the conditions for a peaceful, civilised election could have been met first, and questions the practice of handing ministries
Tony Emmanuel Fernando was sentenced to a year in prison for contempt by a Supreme Court bench that included respondents to his own petition, and was later assaulted in prison. The piece presents his case, then before the UN Human Rights Committee, as a mirror of the rot in the
Justice Minister W.J.M. Lokubandara has announced that a public officer facing bribery charges need not be suspended. The note shows that the Establishments Code says the opposite, and that the minister's 'doctrine' was invented to protect the Public Trustee.
The Thilanga Sumathipala affair, in which a magistrate heard his case on a Poya holiday and acquitted him, shows how corrupt the justice system has become. The editorial holds the Chief Justice, himself facing impeachment motions, chiefly responsible, and blames every party, the JVP included, for letting Parliament look away.
The President wants to avoid political irrelevance at any price; the Prime Minister wants to keep the executive presidency so that he can inherit it. The editorial warns that this power struggle could end in anarchy and in the LTTE gaining freedom to act without a negotiated settlement.
Written for Independence Day, a survey of why the whole social and political order has decayed: imperialism and colonial rule, an independence received as a gift rather than won, a party system that breeds autocratic leaders, the grip of party and family power, and a state that never became the
The JVP–SLFP alliance, formed after the President took over three ministries, has not inspired the public. The editorial finds mistrust built into the pact, notes that the JVP's clean personal habits are shared by the LTTE and prove nothing about respect for life, and argues that an immediate dissolution and
The Public Trustee, Sarath Seneviratne, is wanted by the Bribery Commission and in hiding, while Thilanga Sumathipala is on remand. The piece follows the sale of temple land, the protection both men enjoyed from the powerful, the President's anger and why the government still has not removed Sumathipala from his
A set of six short notes. The President, now in control of the police, applies the law to the sons of UNP ministers accused of assaulting relatives of Minister Kabir Hashim, which she never did in her own government; the 'national heroes' of the Soma Thera campaign now face bribery
A New Year editorial warning that a religious rift is being added to Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict. Recalling Lee Kuan Yew's use of Sri Lanka as the example of a failed state, it traces how caste, religion and language disputes each divided the country in turn and asks whether the
An investigation of the leaflet campaign that followed the death of Gangodawila Soma Thera, which claimed that Ravaya was funded by American churches to attack three 'Buddhist leaders': Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, the Public Trustee Sarath Seneviratne and Telecom chairman Thilanga Sumathipala. The piece traces who produced and paid
Will a Parliamentary Election be a Solution to the Problem?
Victor Ivan
Business Today
Victor Ivan evaluates whether holding a parliamentary general election will resolve the political deadlock between the President and the Prime Minister. Using electoral data under Sri Lanka's Proportional Representation system, Ivan projects that neither a PA-JVP alliance nor the UNF can win an absolute parliamentary majority on its own. Consequently,
In this article, Victor Ivan analyzes the constitutional deadlock resulting from President Chandrika Kumaratunga's takeover of three cabinet ministries, arguing that the crisis stems from structural flaws in a system where executive power and parliamentary control belong to opposing parties. Ivan critiques Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for attempting to sideline
Ivan examines the Chief Justice's disclosure to the Daily Mirror that the President took a second, secret oath before him in November 2000, arguing the constitution requires no such oath for a second term, as J.R. Jayewardene's delayed 1983 swearing-in shows, and that it serves to extend her term to
In this article, Victor Ivan addresses the major constitutional crisis triggered by President Chandrika Kumaratunga's unilateral takeover of three key government ministries—including the Defense Ministry—while Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was abroad. Ivan characterizes the President's actions as an immoral, well-planned "constitutional coup," while simultaneously criticizing the Prime Minister and cabinet
India's view that any interim administration for the North and East must be linked to a final settlement matches the SLFP's position. The editorial notes that apart from the JVP and Sihala Urumaya all parties and India favour an interim administration, expects the LTTE to open with a confederal demand
The editorial welcomes the retirement of Inspector General of Police Anandarajah after he was denied an extension, following protests over his attendance at a drug dealer's daughter's birthday party. It doubts this signals any real commitment by the President to good governance, citing her protection of the Chief Justice and
Tony Fernando has been freed after serving the one-year sentence for contempt imposed by a bench headed by the Chief Justice, telling supporters his only offence was reading a constitutional provision in court. Ivan alleges the Chief Justice orchestrated the assault on him in prison. Further sections report Param Cumaraswamy's
The piece notes that the IGP attended a drug dealer's birthday party, the Telecom and Cricket Board chairman Tilanga Sumathipala is accused of close links with contract killer Dhammika Amarasinghe, the Public Trustee took a bribe, and the Chief Justice faces impeachment charges, yet none has stepped down. Sections detail
