The Road to Reconciliation
Rehabilitation and Resettlement in the North and East, based on recent visits
- Investment and Education for Development (Expanded version of the speech of Prof Rajiva Wijesinha at the BizPact Investment Forum, Jaffna, January 2010
- Stability and Confidence for Revitalization – Entrepreneurship and Education Amongst the Resettled
- Civil Military Liaison – The Key to Social Progress
- Overcoming constrictions and tyranny – The oppression of the LTTE in Mullaitivu
- Promoting Contact – English programmes for all communities in the East
- Individual innovations and initiative – Earlier efforts at rebuilding the East
- Independence Day Celebrations at the Rehabilitation Centres
- Returns for the old and the recently displaced
- Promoting prosperity and reconciliation in Ampara
- Rehabilitation Programmes in Vavuniya – January 2011
- Romance and the Protection Racketeers
- Senator Tiruchelvam’s Legacy
- The Need to Solve Problems Systematically
- Moving Forward: An Assessment of Ongoing Initiatives, A Listing of Productive Possibilities
- Reconciliation, Sri Lanka and the World – Delhi, India – January 2012
- Trilingualism as a promoter of reconciliation – Beirut, Lebanon – February 2012
- Geneva – A Personal Analysis – March 2012
- Empowering people in rural communities
- Modalities of Reconciliation – the importance of Grama Niladhari Divisions
- The LLRC: From Recommendations to Actions
- Reconciliation and Development in the East
- Explaining the philosophy of Resettlement and Economic Development
- Never glad confident morning again? The decline of the last five years – Part 1
Reconciliation: National and International Interventions – 2012
- Reconciliation 1 – Trusting and Monitoring
- Reconciliation 2 – The myopia of the Ministry of External Affairs
- Reconciliation 3 – The Provincial Council Polls
- Reconciliation 4 – Trade as a precursor of togetherness
- Reconciliation 5 – Being lulled into a sense of false security
- Reconciliation 6 – Making commitment explicit
- Reconciliation 7 – The Universal Periodic Review
- Reconciliation 8 – The Education Debate
- Reconciliation 9 – Affirming Commitment to Judicial Independence
- Reconciliation 10 – Land Issues
- Reconciliation 11 – Best practice and blunders with regard to aid
- Reconciliation 12 – A Minister for Policy and Training in External Affairs
- Reconciliation 13 – Attacks on senior members of the United Nations
- Reconciliation 14 – Bringing closure with regard to bereavement
- Reconciliation 15 – Links with Indian scholars
- Reconciliation 16 – Attacks on the UN system
- Reconciliation 17 – Recommendations of structural changes to promote Reconciliation
- Reconciliation 18 – Recommendations to promote Reconciliation with regard to Conflict Related Problems
- Reconciliation 19 – Further Recommendations with regard to Conflict Related Problems
- Reconciliation 20 – Recommendations as to Conceptual and Administrative Issues
- Reconciliation 21– The Empire Strikes Back
- Reconciliation 22– Chief Justices, War Crimes and International Interventions
Reconciliation: Looking Forward
- Four areas of concern
- The Significance of Sarath Amunugama
- The Impeachment: a Liberal Perspective on Justice
- The Impeachment: the history of Parliament acting judicially
- Preventing Conflicts of Interest
- Advice without Common Sense
- The Report of the Parliamentary Select Committee
- Rules to prevent judicial and other abuses
- Standing Orders
- Learning from the Past
- Pursuing universal values
- Constitutional Anomalies
- Constitutional Irresponsibility,The UNP And The Parliamentary Council
- Motivations at Geneva
- Sri Lanka’s Relations with the Outside World – Post Conflict Reconstruction in Sri Lanka and the International Community
Disaster, Dysfunction and Breakdown: Threats to National Sovereignty
An exposition of sustained efforts to challenge the authority of the elected government: the title is taken from the descriptions of two NGO activists at times of disappointment, first when the Human Rights Council defeated a European move to condemn Sri Lanka, second on the day of the Presidential election, which all other observers thought a peaceful and efficient process.
- Interlocking Networks of Superior Persons
- The Coffee Club and confusion as to Humanitarian Assistance
- Mutton dressed as lamb: the British control of European agencies
- A Pincer Movement in August 2007 – London, Geneva, New York and Colombo
- Gifts of those who like to play God
- Clawing at Racist Constructions
- Personal Agendas and the Abuse of Canadian Funding and Authority
- Fooling all the people all the time: The Country Report on Sri Lanka that was commissioned by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
- Promoting and Publicizing Racism – the games Radhika plays
- The Dancers and the Dance – Rama, Radhika and Bradman
- The ICRC blots its copybook
- Preliminary Response to the ICG Report
- Insidious Assistants to Eminent Persons
- Emotional and Other Excesses of UN Staff
- Bradman Weerakoon and His Various Webs
- Elite Advocates And Their Manipulation Of Funding For Peace
- Dysfunction and Breakdown at the Centre for Political Alternatives
20th Century Classics
Studies of some writers concerned with politics and social issues relevant to relations between people and countries
- Graham Greene, the West, and Human Factors
- The Great Game in South Asia: British Dogma versus American Democratic Ideals
- Imperialism and Sentiment: Paul Scott and the Mountbattens
- Forster – Race and Class and Moral Imperatives
- Kipling – Goodness and the Great Game
- Conrad – Political Perspectives and Moral Fervour
- Henry James – Beneath and Beyond Personal Relations
- The Heroic Vitalism of D H Lawrence
- James Joyce and the life of Dubliners
- Evelyn Waugh And The City Of Aquatint
- Virginia Woolf and Time’s Chariot
- Robert Graves’ Sense of History
- Christopher Isherwood and Berlin in Decline
- Aldous Huxley and the Dangers of a World Without Ideas
- Somerset Maugham and the strengths of simplicity
- Agatha Christie and the magic of murder
- The unchanging world of P G Wodehouse
- Galsworthy and social and sexual transition
- Frank Richards and the preposterous excesses of Billy Bunter
- John Buchan and a life beyond letters
- William and the charms of the unorthodox
- Edith Nesbit and the pleasures of childhood
- The Excessive Vitalism of Bernard Shaw
- The melancholia of Katherine Mansfield
- J M Barrie and the boy who never grew up
- The singular Mr Toad
- The Wicked Worlds of George Orwell
- Enid Blyton’s Evocations of Britain
- Tolkien and the Pursuit and Achievement of Power
- Transitions in the worlds of C S Lewis
- Lawrence Durrell and the Uses of Sexuality
- Anthony Powell and the Hollow Heart of the New England
- Angus Wilson and the Pursuit of Values
- William Golding and the Limits of Civilization
- The Ineffable Angst of Samuel Beckett
- Pinter and the Politics of Literature
- Ian Fleming’s Establishment and its Guardian
- Le Carre’s Hard-Pressed Concept of Honour
- Beyond Shadows – Naipaul’s Brilliant Bad Temper
- Muriel Spark and Remembrances of Mortality
- The Bizarre Worlds of J G Ballard
- Simon Raven’s Extravagant Decency
- Salman Rushdie’s Magic
- Vikram Seth’s Romanticism
- Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s Pictures of Past and Present
- The Relentless Anguish of Kazuo Ishiguro
- Gerald Durrell’s Human Zoos
- T E Lawrence and the limits of commitment
Anatomy of an Election
Analysis of reasoning and reactions of politicians, voters and commentators during the Presidential Election January 2010, and subsequently in the General Election April 2010.
- The Ghosts of Christmas Past
- Reinforcing Prejudices
- The JVP – Militarism and Revolution
- The UNP – Making the best of a bad job
- The TNA – Electoral ambitions versus the interests of Tamils
- The West and its friends in Colombo
- Swansongs of some Secondhand Salesmen
- A Vote for Togetherness
- Following the Leader – the Myth of a Misplaced Mandate
- The UNP’s Volatile Urban Chauvinists
Rights, Responsibilities and Constitutional Reform
Discussion of issues of current interest with regards to Human Rights and Constitutional Principles and Practices
- Reform and Representation – A Principled Approach to Constitutional Changes
- Human Rights in Sri Lanka
- The Hypocrisy of the Human Rights Brigade
- Towards an Effective and Balanced Executive Presidency
- Reconstructing the 17th Amendment
- Elections and the Promotion of Confidence in Democracy
- The excesses of the current electoral system
- Reform and Representation – A Principled Approach to Constitutional Changes
- Parliament in the 1980s, and suggestions as to improvement
- Political Structures apart from Parliament: the Presidency, Devolution, the Judiciary
The Fonseka Papers
Comments on General Sarath Fonseka’s public pronouncements and the use made of him during the 2010 Presidential Campaign
- The origins of General Fonseka’s anguish
- The Fonseka Letters
- Different Stories
- Media reports and human rights queries
- Foreign friends and fantasies
- The continuing saga of the two Saraths
Interactions with the West
Essays dealing with Western reactions to the situation in Sri Lanka. Some of these were written during 2009, but may be worth re-examining in view of the recycling of ostensible concerns.
- Governments of Laws, Not of Men
- British Foreign Office feeds Times false figures in campaign to recover from defeat inflicted at Human Rights Council in Geneva
- Aid Agency Abuse of the Media and Vice Versa
- The Zurich Meeting and Continuing International Interventions
- Tissainayagam – a national and international tragedy
- Cross Purposes – The History of Manik Farm
- Western Masochism, Eastern Suffering
- Analysing the State Department Report
- Fighting for their fortunes
- A Loverly Bunch of Coconuts – Philip Alston on Centre Stage Again
- The Political Predilections of UN Special Rapporteurs and Their Informants
- Rapid Turnovers
- Reconciliation in Sri Lanka and British Priorities
- The Diffidence of European Guilt
- Reviving Relationships with the British
- Reflections on Wikileaks – 2011
- The Wikileaks Revelations about Attitudes to Sri Lanka
- The Usual Suspects Threaten the Galle Literary Festival
- The Usual Suspects Attack Sri Lanka Before Meetings in Geneva
- Professional Diplomats
- The changing face of Amnesty International
- The latest Amnesty Report and the Zarifi Press Release
- The unfortunate American approach to Human Rights
- A view to a kill
- Countering Terrorism, Countering Othering
- Heh, Heh, Hillary, the Horror, the Horror
- We came, We conquered, He died
Norway Attacks July 2011
- Norway under threat
- Life’s Awful Ironies – a Norwegian Island that suffered like Sri Lanka, and that looks like Sri Lanka, on a smaller scale
UK Riots August 2011
- British manipulation of principles – hypocrisy or (Hobbesian) human nature?
- The brutality of the British police
- The Western use of riots
Memory, Understanding and Education – Prerequisites for Progress
Essays and presentations about the causes of conflict and efforts to overcome these.
- An Outdated Perspective – the Latest UTHR Report
- Twenty Years After – Richard de Zoysa and the Prejudices of Establishments
- Chanaka Amaratunga, Dudley Senanayake and the Spirit of Liberalism
- Education for children affected by conflict – Text of a keynote address given at an Aide et Action Workshop, Jaipur, November 3rd 2009
- Rights and Regional Communities – Keynote address at the celebration of Human Rights Day, Vavuniya, December 10th 2009
- Promoting Rights Through Empowerment – Keynote address at the celebration of Human Rights Day in Jaffna, on December 11th 2009.
- Liberalism and Education for All – Historical and Philosophical Perspectives – Address at the Colombo Conference of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats on ‘Promoting Choice and Excellence in Education’
- ‘LEST WE FORGET: the tragedy of July 1983’
- In Memoriam: V. Navaratnam, TULF MP for Chavakachcheri
- ‘He Shall Not Grow Old’ – Richard de Zoysa After 21 Years
- Chanaka Amaratunga in Politics – 1 August 2011
- Denzil Kobbekaduwa and different perspectives in the army – 8 August 2011
- Language, Economic Development and Social Cohesion – 23 October 2011
- The Liberal Party of Sri Lanka: History, Philosophy, Presentation – Jan 2012
- Chanaka Amaratunga and the 13th Amendment
- The future of free education in Sri Lanka
- Essential Grammar: A reference book for teachers of English – Parvathi Nagasunderam – Dec 2012
- Chanaka Amaratunga and the 13th Amendment
- The legacy of Lakshman Wickremesinghe, Thirty Years After
- “Lest We Forget”: The Ethnic Violence of July 1983
- Equity for children through quality education
- Richard de Zoysa
- Chanaka Amaratunga – In Memoriam
- Chanaka Amaratunga – the last phase
- TVET Systems for Sustainable Development: Innovation and Best Practices in Quality Assurance from South Asia – 20 February 2017
Principles for a new Constitution
Discussions of basic Constitutional principles, in the context of previous practices in Sri Lanka and current national needs.
- The Role and Structure of the Legislature and the Executive
- Adjusting the Sri Lankan system to current requirements
- Chapter 1 – The State And The Different Branches Of Government
- Chapter 2 – The Functions of Government and the need for different Ministries
- Chapter 3 – Types of Law, Security and the Independence of the Judiciary
- Chapter 4 – Democracy, Representation and Devolution
- Chapter 5 Part I – Power Sharing and Representation
- Chapter 5 Part II – Representative Government and Universal Franchise
- Chapter 5 Part III – Independence and the Power of the Prime Minister
- Chapter 5 Part IV – Majoritarianism and Attempts at Devolution
- Chapter 5 Part V – Ensuring People’s Power
In Parliament
- Speech in the Votes of the Ministry of External Affairs At the Committee Stage of the Budget Debate – December 7th 2010
- Reflections on Opposition Approaches to the Ministry of Defence in the Budget Debate – December 11th 2010
- Speech in Parliament proposing the Adjournement Motion on the establishment of a National Theatre – 21 January 2011
- Speech in Parliament proposing the Adjournment Motion on Parliamentary Friendship Associations – 23 February 2011
- Speech in the Adjournment Motion on The Extension of Emergency Regulations – 24 February 2011
- Speech in Parliament – the debate on the extension of the State of Emergency, 9 August 2011
- Speech on the adjournment motion in Parliament – 7 September 2011
- Speech in the Condolence Debate in Parliament for the late Hon Lakshman Jayakody – 7 September 2011
- Speech on the Budget for 2012
- At the debate on the Report of the Committee On Public Enterprises – 8th May 2012
- Speech in Parliament During the Adjournment Motion on The Rule of Law – November 6th 2012
- Speech of Prof Rajiva Wijesinha On the 2013 Budget – 12 Nov 2012
- On the votes of the Ministry of External Affairs during the Committee Stage of the Budget Debate
- On the Votes of the Ministry of Resettlement at the Committee Stage of the Budget Debate – 29 Nov 2012
- Draft speech for the debate on Education at the Committee Stage of the Budget Debate, November 2012
- Parliamentary Debate on the Chief Justice – 11 January 2013
- Proposed amendments to Standing Orders to improve the efficiency and accountability of Parliament
- At the debate on the Second Report Of the Committee on Public Enterprises – 10 Oct 2013
- On the votes of the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs in the Committee Stage of the Budget – 9/12/13
- D S Senanayake’s critique of free education without variety – 17 Nov 2014
- The need for the systematic encouragement of social integration – 19 Nov 2014
- The need to pursue Reforms through Principles – 20 January 2015
- With regard to the issue of Rajiva Wijesinha’s resignation raised in the House On March 3rd – 17 March 2015
- Draft Higher Education Act
- The 19th Amendment
- The 24th Amendment …. INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONS
- Amendments to the draft 19th amendment at the Committee Stage
- Amendments for the committee stage – 22 April 2015 – 19th Amendment
- පොරොන්දුවූ ප්රජාතන්ත්රවාදය වර්ධන කරන ප්රතිසන්ස්කරන … ගණන් නොගෙන දැන් අමතක කර ඇත – 28.04.2015
Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats
This section consists of material relating to the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats which the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka currently chairs.
- Preparing for Power and Forming Governments
- A Triumph for Asian and International Liberalism
- CALD Resolution on Thailand
- CALD Resolution on Sri Lanka
- Message of the Chairman of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats to the CALD Annual Report 2009.
- Introductory Note by the Chairman of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats to the Manila Conference on “Asian Liberal Parties in Power: Getting There, Remaining There”
- Speech at the Felicitation of Senator Jovi Salonga
- On a visit to Liverpool to attend the Conference of the Liberal Democratic Party of Britain
- Why Economic Development and Democracy need to move forward together – The Sri Lankan Experience
- Security, Development, Democracy – Rome 2010
- CALD Resolution No. 1 S. 2011
- CALD Resolution No. 2 S. 2011
- CALD Delegation Meets Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
- Deepest Condolences and Sympathy to the People of Japan
- 2011 Liberal International Prize for Freedom – Dr. Chee Soon Juan
- Pluralism and Development In Asia: Issues and Prospects – Nov 2011
- Incentives and Constraints to Building and Strengthening Pluralistic Societies
- Economic Development and Democracy have to grow together – Rome 2011
- Setting CALD’s Climate Change Agenda – Thailand Nov 2011
- CALD Second Workshop on Climate Change – Cagayan de Oro, Philippines – Feb 2012
- The Populist Challenge to Liberal Democracy – CALD 2012 Welcome Address
- The Rise of Populism: A Comparative Perspective from South Asia
- The Populist Challenge to Liberal Democracy – CALD 2012 Address at the Closing Session
- Forging Ethnic Harmony and a Democratic Union – 18 Nov 2012
- Synthesis – Managing Burma’s Political Transitions: The Challenges Ahead – Nov 2012
- Learning to work together – 9 Nov 2013
- Congratulatory Letter from CALD Chairperson Oyun Sanjaasuren – 16 January 2015
Interviews
- Channel 4′s Krishnan Guru-Murthy interviews Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha
- IRIN – Reconciliation in Sri Lanka
- Sunday Observer – 2 May 2010 : Electoral reforms must come first
- Al Jazeera – UN to probe Sri Lanka war ‘abuses’ – 23 June 2010
- Interview by Matt Abud of Radio Australia – 8 July 2010
- Sunday Observer – 18 July 2010: House with greater responsibilities
- IRIN – Analysis: Prospects for reconciliation in Sri Lanka – 21 July 2010
- BBC – Sri Lanka lacking reconciliation, say global leaders – 3 August 2010
- SRI LANKA: Amnesty says emergency rule must end
- Al Jazeera – EU ends Sri Lanka trade benefits August 15, 2010
- Transcript of Al Jazeera’s Interview with Prof Rajiva Wijesinha – 10th November 2010
- The BBC dodges questions about investigating David Miliband : BBC The Hub – 24 November 2010
- On the recent decision of the Ministry of Higher Education regarding English at Advanced Level – 11 February 2011
- Responses to Lakbima News on Funding for NGOs and the Need for Greater Accountability
- Interview with Lakbima News with regard to lessons from the recent disasters in Japan- 10 April 2011
- The Latest Concerns About NGO Activity
- Human Rights, Responsibilities and Challenges
- Lakbima News: Clarification – ‘SB Vows To Liberate Universities From Thugs’
- Clarification with regard to date of note about Sarath Fonseka provided by the British High Commission in Colombo
- Responses sent to IRIN, the news agency of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance – Darusman Panel Report
- Responses to BBC queries regarding the latest ICG effusion
- Full text of the interview given to Lakbima News – 24 July 2011
- Regime Change – Interview with Lakbima News – 28 August 2011
- Deccan Chronicle – Lankan Presidents Representative Sees Solution – 31 August 2011
- The Times of India – Most of displaced in SL rehabilitated – 31 August 2011
- NDTV – Sri Lanka to probe human rights violations by its army personnel – 1 September 2011
- The Hindu – Most Allegations Against Sri Lankan Army Nonsense – 3 September 2011
- Daily Mirror – Opening wounds and rubbing salt into them is not correct – 29 October 2011
- Daily Mirror – On the statement by David Cameron, threatening to withhold aid from countries which have anti-gay legislation. – 5 Nov 2011
- Daily News – The following responses were sent to questions from the Daily News with regard to the work of the Reconciliation Office – 18 Nov 2011
- Response to Daily Mirror on the ICG report on women’s insecurity in the North and East – January 2012
- Questions from The Independent – 26 Feb 2012
- Daily Mirror – Extremes feed off each other – 1 March 2012
- Interview with the Sunday Observer on the resolution about the staff of OHCHR – 25 March 2012
- We need to be vigilant about abuse of this resolution – Daily Mirror 28 March 2012
- We All Need To Build Confidence – Sunday Leader 30 Sept 2012
- BBC Newshour Interview with Rajiva Wijesinha – 13 Nov 12
- Responses to questions from IRIN regarding the latest UN report
- On signing the impeachment resolution of the incumbent chief justice – Lakbima 16 Dec 2012
- I don’t see myself as a rebel in govt ranks – Interview by DBS Jeyaraj 22 Dec 2012 Part I
- I see no reason to resign – Interview by DBS Jeyaraj 29 Dec 2012 Part II
- External Affairs Minister has failed in all responsibilities undertaken – Interview by DBS Jeyaraj 5 Jan 2013 Part III
- Salem News – Special Feature: A Spark of Unity for Sri Lanka? – 22 Jan 2013
- Ceylon Today – “No disciplinary action against me” – Rajiva – 27 Jan 2013
- Bistandsaktuelt – the report on Sri Lanka of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – March 2013
- Interview with Ceylon Today – May 2013
- Cancellation of the MoU between the American Embassy and the Trincomalee Urban Council
- Extremists Rule The Roost
- Extremists in Govt. determined to destroy country’s credibility – Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha- 9 March 2014
- We Fell Into The American Trap – Professor Rajiva Wijesinghe
- Deutsche Welle – Colombo ‘failing to engage’ with Tamil minority – 15 May 2014
- සජින්, ක්ෂෙනුකා ගේ වැඩ තහනම් කළ යුතුයි – රජීව – 6 Oct 2014
- පත්වීම් ලැබූ නිලධාරීන් නිසා විදේශ සේවයේ ගරුත්වය පිරිහුණා දේශපාලන පත්වීම් ලැබූ නිලධාරීන් නිසා විදේශ සේවයේ ගරුත්වය පිරිහුණා – 13 Oct 2014
- News1st Genevagate audit report – Prof Rajiva Wijesinha elaborates – 22 Oct 2014
- ජෙනිවා නුවර නිත්ය නියෝජිත කාර්යාලයේ අලුත්වැඩියා කිරිම සම්බන්දයෙන් විගණනය – 22 Oct 2014
- SLFP will rally around Sirisena in case of his victory – 12 Dec 2014
- Daily Mirror – Maithripala Sirisena is a very capable person – 16 Dec 2014
- Ceylon Today – Rajiva Wijesinha “President’s first term was impressive” – 30 Dec 2014
- Who should the public vote for – Hon Prof Rajiva Wijesinha, MP – by Manthri.lk – 30 Dec 2014
- Alliance must get serious, work quickly and meet deadlines: Rajiva Wijesinha – 20 Feb 2015
- Daily Mirror – 100-day programme, no compromise. – 25 Feb 2015
- “If Ranil leaves, the SLFP will step in and continue” – Interview with The Island
- පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී රජීව විජේසිංහ 19 වෙනි ආණ්ඩුක්රම වියවස්ථාව ගැන සිරස සමග සම්මුඛ සාකච්ඡාව – 10 April 2015
- I don’t repent going against Mahinda – Rajiva Wijesinha – 20 June 2015
- BBS, foreign policy matters et al (Part 1) – 21 July 2015
- Foreign policy matters, India’s accountability et al – (Part II) – 29 July 2015
- I’m glad regime was changed – Ceylon Today – 24 Dec 2015
- Interview with Daily Mirror – 11 June 2016
- Effective option for youngsters – Ceylon Today 26 Dec 2016
Lessons Learnt & Reconcilliation Commission
- Testimony before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission – PART 1
- Testimony before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission – PART 2
- Testimony before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission – PART 3
Creative Writing and Criticism
- ACTS OF FAITH – Chapter 2: Action Stations
- Words Without Borders: Literature in a Time of Conflict
- In the Dark: The Last Time I Saw Richard
- Introduction to Readings from Bridging Connections at the DSC South Asian Literature Festival, 19th October 2010
- A Year in Blogging: March 2010-2011
- Mahinda Pathirana’s The Wikileaks Period : The end of New Liberal Domination and the Rise of Asia as the turning point of Post-Modernism
International Presentations
- Sri Lanka’s Post-Conflict Future
- Why Economic Development and Democracy need to move forward together – The Sri Lankan Experience
- Security, Development, Democracy – Rome 2010
- A Meeting of Sri Lankans in the House of Commons to Discuss Future Reconciliation Issues
- Promoting Contacts, Preserving Confidence – The International Context, Past and Present (Part 1) – New Delhi 21-22 October 2010.
- Promoting Contacts, Preserving Confidence – Relations in the Past (Part 2) – New Delhi 21-22 October 2010.
- Promoting Contacts, Preserving Confidence – Cooperation in the Current Context (Part 3) – New Delhi 21-22 October 2010.
- Promoting Contacts, Preserving Confidence – Reconciliation and the Restoration of Confidence (Part 4) – New Delhi 21-22 October 2010.
- Promoting Contacts, Preserving Confidence – Collaboration in Education and Training (Part 5) – New Delhi 21-22 October 2010.
- The Sri Lankan Model: Eliminating Terrorism, Cherishing Civilians (Part 1)
- The Sri Lankan Model: Eliminating Terrorism, Cherishing Civilians (Part 2)
- The Sri Lankan Model: Eliminating Terrorism, Cherishing Civilians (Part 3)
- Promoting National Integration, Ensuring Empowerment – I
- Promoting National Integration, Ensuring Empowerment – II
- Current Developments in Sri Lanka – I
- Current Developments in Sri Lanka – II
- Mother and Child
- Reform and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka – Australia 2011
- Economic Development and Democracy have to grow together – Rome 2011
- Speech at the Global Languages Meet – Vadodara, India – January 2012
- Peoplizing Language – Telgadh, India – Jan 2012
- Reconciliation, Sri Lanka and the World – Delhi, India – January 2012
- Trilingualism as a promoter of reconciliation – Beirut, Lebanon – February 2012
- Sri Lanka: Reconciliation and Justice – Frontline Club, London 16 May 2012
- The Global War on Terror: How Do the Liberals Respond? – Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia 24 May 2012
- Liberalism: It’s All About Freedom – Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia 24 May 2012
- Clauses for a Sustainable Political Relationship in Trade Agreements: Effective Against Possible Threats to Democracy? – Brussels, June 2012
- Challenges for Democracy – A Regional Perspective – Islamabad, 11th September 2012
- Enhancing South Asia’s principal asset – its People – Islamabad, 11th September 2012
- Forging Ethnic Harmony and a Democratic Union – 18 Nov 2012
- Synthesis – Managing Burma’s Political Transitions: The Challenges Ahead – Nov 2012
- Enhancing Cooperation to promote Regional Security and Economic Connectivity – Chandigarh, India, March 2013
- The World Today: China, India and the United States as seen from Sri Lanka – Rio de Janairo,Brazil, October 2013
- Learning to work together – 9 Nov 2013
- Reconciliation and the role of India – New Delhi, December 13th 2013
- Sri Lanka’s North East, and the need to promote integration whilst preserving local identities – Shillong, India, June 2014
- Whether or not to engage with extremists – June 18 2014
- Sri Lanka’s Relations with the Outside World – Changing Perspectives on South East and Central Asia
- The Oslo Forum and the Elephant in the room
- Moving Forward: India and Sri Lanka – Kolkata, India 6 November 2014
- Sri Lanka: Need to make solid understanding with India a priority – 2 July 2014
- Employability and Training
- Does SAARC have a future? – Lahore, Pakistan, 1 April 2016
- Defeating Terrorism: The Sri Lankan Experience – Lahore, Pakistan, 3 April 2016
The Great War Crime Games
- The Great War Crime Games – Part 1
- The Great War Crime Games – Part 2
- The Great War Crime Games – Part 3
- The Great War Crime Games – Part 4
- The Great War Crime Games – Part 5
- The Great War Crime Games – Part 6
Political Commentary
- The Self-Destructive Scorpions of the United National Party
- A Response to Dr. Saravanamuttu
- Rajiva Wijesinghe gets Buddhika a scholarship in Germany
- Response to Dr Saravanamuttu’s Mercenary Assumptions
- Changing Perspectives At The Foreign Ministry
- Response to Dr Saravanamuttu – Daily Mirror 11 May 2011
- Suggestions for further study after the Seminar on Defeating Terrorism
- Avoiding Extremes – the lessons of last Saturday’s election – 23 July 2011
- Why maligning Karu Jayasuriya is bad for the country as well as the UNP
- Intrigues by the Ministry of External Affairs
- Letting down the President
- The failure of the Ministry of External Affairs to think or write or discuss
- The failures of the Ministry of External Affairs – encroachment or sheer incompetence?
- Double standards in double measure with regard to Human Rights
- Where responsibility lies for the President being let down
- Destroying Confidence
- Why asking D E W Gunasekara to act as Minister of External Affairs was a brilliant idea
- Destroying traditional SLFP Foreign Policy and the national consensus
- Roma Tearne, puddings and attributions of greed
- Frances Harrison, Daran of Channel 4 claims, and the othering of Arun Tambimuttu
- Conspiracy Theories
- Reconciliation: How the armed forces can do more, and why they should – August 2012
- The American Dilemma
- A farewell to arms? – The US ambassador’s last visit to Jaffna
- Emerging Challenges of Governance in South Asia – August 2012
- Social Integration
- The future of free education in Sri Lanka
- Wasting the money allocated to education
- Letter to The Editor – Colombo Telegraph – 3 Dec 2012
- Action Plans and Information as a Guard Against Inaction: Sri Lanka’s LLRC Revisited – 4 Jan 2013
- Destroying the President’s Defenders
- Wimal Weerawansa’s restrictive agenda and its influence
- Games in Geneva and a series of own goals by the Ministry of External Affairs
- Long War, Cold Peace – 23 March 2013
- Using the armed forces productively and sensitively
- The need to communicate coherently in Sri Lanka and abroad – Part 1
- The need to plan cohesively and through public involvement – Part 2
- Inconsistencies in relations with India, America and the World
- A time for moderation
- The visit of Navanethem Pillay
- Deconstructing the Pillay visit and report
- The significance of the Commonwealth and its Heads of Government Meeting
- The current sorry state of Indo-Lankan Relations (and how our Ministry of External Affairs will make it worse)
- Narrative iii-Last Stages of the War; A Private Sector Perspective
- Rajiva Wijesinha responds to Daily Mirror article of 15 Feb 15
- Prof. Wijesinha wants next Parliament to take up COPE report on bond scam – 1st July 2015
- The Lessons Of Batalanda – Chandrika’s Techniques Of Character Assassination
- The ridiculous expansion of the Cabinet – 17 April 2016
The Role of Parliament in Promoting Good Governance
- The Role of Parliament in Promoting Good Governance
- The Relationship between the Legislature and the Executive
- The function of private business in Parliament
- The Public Petitions Committee and the role of the Ombudsman
- Structural Reforms
- The public benefit of electoral and constitutional reforms
- Making better use of Committee Stage Procedures
- The need for clear and simple laws
- Standing Committees of Parliament – how India uses them effectively
- Ignoring practices in the rest of the world
- Doing nothing about the consensus regarding electoral reform
- Liberal Perspectives on Accountability and Parliamentary Governance
Post-Colonial Practices
- THE DARUSMAN PANEL : A review of the evidence in the context of past realities and future plans
- The Unfortunate American Approach to Human Rights
- Assessing the Secretary General’s Panel
- Shoddy and Suspicious Details in the UN Panel Report
- The UN Network of Informers
- The Brutal Misuse of Hospitals by the LTTE and the Darusman Panel
- Bad Faith
- Impunity for False Allegations – Rape, Hillary Clinton and Gethin Chamberlain
- Using food as a weapon – The Tigers and The Darusman Panel
- The Panel’s Two Showpieces
- Accusing the ICRC of naiveté
- Mr Sambandan’s Triumphalism
- Arbitrary American attacks on S B Dissanayake
- The Many Personalities of Kiki Darusman
- The Complicity of the International Community in Causing and Exaggerating Death
- Responses sent to IRIN, the news agency of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance – Darusman Panel Report
- American Ambassador Patricia Butenis may have deliberately omitted forces dedicated to reconciliation from the consultation she organized
- The involvement of UN officials in the programmes of either Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu or Patricia Butenis
- Promoting Treachery – a new dimension to political affairs
- Letter to Ban Ki-moon – UN Secretary-General 2 May 2011
- Darusman Panel misrepresents UN Secretary-General in throwing LTTE abuses he condemned on Sri Lankan government 5 May 2011
- The Panel’s Two Showpieces
- Letter to Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary-General 6 May 2011
- Ban Ki-moon and Enid Blyton
Inconsistancies and Deceit in the Darusman Panel – comparisons with Gordon Weiss and TamilNet
- How the Darusman Panel found excuses for the LTTE taking of hostages.
- Confusing Gender, Age, Legality and Decency: the Darusman Panel on Child Recruitment
- Inconsistencies and deceit in the Darusman Panel / Weiss account of Convoy 11
- Doublespeak and doublethink with regard to alleged attacks on hospitals – Darusman, Weiss and Tamilnet at play
- How Darusman and Weiss ignored LTTE killings in a church to enforce conscription
- Orientalism, falsehood and melodrama – the world of Kiki Darusman and Gordon Weiss
- What Darusman and Weiss fail to say: comparisons with the US State Department Report
- Gordon Weiss and his military mentor: Jonas Savimbi as predecessor to Mr Prabhakaran
- Gordon Weiss the Heroic Vitalist
Entrenching Prejudice – the Double Standards of Philip Alston and Christof Heyns
Masters of Deceit
- Death Eaters and the Return of the Dark Lords of Terror
- The Twittering Establishment tries to drive wedges between Sri Lanka and the UN
- Refugee from Sun Sea ordered deported for role in Tamil Tiger propaganda video
- Reviewing the Channel 4 evidence in the light of acknowledged LTTE executions of wounded captives
- Hypocrisy or Delusions – the Wickedness of David Miliband and Bernard Kouchner
- The relentless posturing of Navi Pillay
- Louise Arbour – Wicked Witch of the West or a Munchkin?
- A time warp for the International Crisis Group
- The interlocking directorates of the new imperialism
- Promoting Confrontation
- Tearing Americans Apart – Groundviews and the Surrender of Terrorists
Assaults by NGOs and the media
- Accusations based on strange hopes
- Deceit and Distortion, and a few brave efforts to tell the truth by international officials
- Connivance or Cowardice? Why Aid agencies allowed the LTTE holding of hostages to proceed without criticism
- Human Rights Watch and its fear of engagement and discussion
- Response to further excesses by Gordon Weiss in the Australian media (Annotations to the published account)
- Why did the Guardian fail to apologize or investigate the reasons for lies it propagated?
- Post-War Sri Lanka: Rethinking Reconciliation as a doctoral candidate on ‘Sri Lankan Tamil activism in Canada’
- Responses to BBC queries regarding the latest ICG effusion
- The BBC’s unforced, unacknowledged errors
Reflections on Reconciliation
- Speech in Parliament – the debate on the extension of the State of Emergency, 9 August 2011
- Full text of the interview given to Lakbima News – 24 July 2011
- Reform and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka’s Post-Conflict Future
- Bruce Haigh’s Mischief Making
- Elie Wiesel’s sad, glib justification for the killing of children
- The children and the chocolates that survived at Mullivaaikkaall
Addressing concerns
- Addressing concerns of the international community systematically – is it possible?
- Addressing more concerns of the international community systematically
- Addressing further concerns of the international community systematically
- Addressing further concerns about civilian casualties systematically
- Addressing concerns of the international community systematically about humanitarian assistance
- Addressing systematically recent concerns of the international community about humanitarian assistance
- Addressing concerns as to sexual abuse of the displaced
- Addressing concerns as to sexual and other abuse of captured or surrendered cadres
- Addressing concerns about conditions at the welfare centres
- Addressing concerns about treatment of surrendees
The Deliberate Targeting of Sri Lanka – March 2012
Networks of Informers
- Networks of Informers 1 – The Channel 4 independent witnesses
- Networks of Informers 2 – Damilvany Gnanakumar
- Networks of Informers 3 – The omission of Sir John Holmes and the Old Order
- Networks of Informers 4 – The Tiger use of No Fire Zones
- Networks of Informers 5 – The mysterious Colonel Harun
- Networks of Informers 6 – Stories the Darusman Report would not hear
- Networks of Informers 7 – Does Barack Obama have a ‘Multiple Civilian Casualty Policy’ in dealing with terrorism?
- Networks of Informers 8 – Colonel Harun and the food convoys
- Networks of Informers 9 – Harun and the sea of stories
- Networks of Informers 10 – Confidentiality and the Weiss/Darusman perversions of how humanitarian assistance was limited
Post Conflict Challenges
- Solidar, UNOPS and their role in the UN Security Operations Information Centre
- Renewal of what the FORUT and Solidar leadership planned with the LTTE in 2008
- Falsehoods in the British House of Commons
- A terrorist network
- Response to the Editor, NZZ
- Siobhain McDonagh’s researching journalist
- Lies Not Agreed Upon – How the Tiger Rump expands on what Siobhain McDonagh’s Researcher claimed
- The irresistible attack on Liam Fox
- Further dimensions of the attack on Dr Fox
- LTTE manipulation of videos
- Further adventures of LTTE propagandists
- Edited transcript of questions addressed by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha at the screening of “Lies Agreed Upon” 12 October 2011, Attlee Suite, Portcullis House
- Prof Savitri Goonesekere’s whiff of grapeshot
- Notes on the attack on Sri Lanka made by Simon Hughes MP
- The BBC, the Voice of America and the manipulation of, by and for Sarath Fonseka
- Political Challenges in Post-War Sri Lanka: a Sri Lankan Perspective
- Is Patricia Butenis without scruples?
- Innocence or Subtlety? The American Ambassadress in action
- A response to Frances Harrison’s wickedness
Reflections on recent changes in the Middle East and North Africa – 2011
- The Morality of Incursions
- A Historical Perspective
- Alternative Authorities
- The Elephant in the Room
- Total Cynicism
- The Real New Labour
- Supping with devils
- Greed is the password for US foreign policy which is ‘hardly about freedom’
Sri Lanka Rights Watch – 2012
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 1 – The Welfare of Prisoners
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 2 – Ensuring sensible judicial activism: the problem about suspended sentences for rape
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 3 – Developing Community Structures
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 4 – Promoting the Rights and the Welfare of Children
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 5 – Strengthening the Human Rights Commission
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 6 – Strengthening the Human Rights Commission and cooperation with other state agencies
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 7 – Developing psychosocial support systems
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 8 – Police Training
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 9 – The Laws’ and Other Delays
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 10 – The importance of Training, Operational Directives and Reporting
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 11 – The Girl Guide initiative about Violence against Women and Children
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 12 – Labour and Migrant Workers
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 13 – The Displaced and Land Issues
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 14 – Acting on Recommendations accepted at the Universal Periodic Review
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 15 – The question of torture
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 16 – Preparing for the Universal Periodic Review
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 17 – Better Prisons, Fewer Prisoners
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 18 – The Rights of Labour
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 19 – Educational Reform
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 20 – The role of the Police in Coordination
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 21 – Protecting Suspects
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 22 – Involving Civil Society
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 23 – The Right to Information
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 24 – Dealing with Disappearances
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 25 – Former Combatants
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 26 – Land Issues
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 27 – The Laws’ Delays
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 28 – Awareness as to the Rights of Women
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 29 – Problems of Women in the North
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 30 – Preventing languishing in jail
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 31 – The police as a positive social force
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 32 – Trafficking
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 33 – Preventing Domestic Violence
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 34 – The care of children
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 35 – The Right to Higher Education
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 36 – Promoting women in politics
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 37 – Affirming the Right to Education
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 38 – Why officials face too much undue influence
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 39 – Saving Women from Houses of Detention
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 40 – Prison visit
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 41 – Saving Children from Neglect
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 42 – The LLRC and Human Rights Action Plans
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 43 – The Bill of Rights
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 44 – The LLRC and Human Rights Action Plans
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 45 – Consultations to finalize legislation to protect children
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 46 – The LLRC and the Detained
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 47 – The Rights of Elders
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 48 – The Right to a fair trial
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 49 – Registering and Remembering the Disappeared
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 50 – Clarifying statistics as to Rehabilitation
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 51 – Detainees, Prisons and the ICRC
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 52 – Overcrowding in Prisons: Causes, Remedies
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 53 – Detainees under the PTA and Emergency Regulations
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 54 – Systematizing Units for Women and Children at Divisional Secretariats
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 55 – The Right to Development
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 56 – Inclusivity and Participatory Budgeting
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 57 – Guidelines and Independence for the Judiciary
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 58 – Moving from patronage to equity in social services
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 59 – Reducing overcrowding in prisons
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 60 – Bringing government closer to the people
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 61 – The need for precision
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 63 – Transparency with regard to Law
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 64 – Deploying Resources more effectively
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 65 – Settling land problems swiftly
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 66 – Streamlining administrative procedures
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 67 – Restoring and Acquiring Land
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 68 – Reforming the Judiciary in a civilized manner
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 69 –The Universal Periodic Review and its aftermath
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 70 –Strengthening the rights of people, not politicians
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 71 – How the discourse on Human Rights is perverted
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 72 – Functioning with precision in English
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 73 – Legal clarity with regard to empowerment
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 74 – Eastern Muslim problems
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 75 – Guarding against Gender Based Violence
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 76 – Principles for Educational Progress
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 77 – Youth perspectives on bringing government closer to the people
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 78 – Other areas for Action to promote Human Rights
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 79 – The messiness of Multiple Ministries
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 80 – The diffidence of the Legislature regarding the Judiciary
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 81 – Principles for Educational Progress
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 82 – Why hypocrisy about war crimes weakens the argument for Human Rights
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 83 – Improving effectiveness through coordination
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 84 – Structures to deal with disappearances
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 85 – Carrying out Plans in the Nation Building process
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 86 – Dealing with the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 87 – Facilitating Coordination in the Courts
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 88 – Action and Information
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 89 – Overcoming inadequacies without inflicting them on others
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 90 – Police structures and professionalism
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 91 – Coordination of LLRC Actions
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 92 – Banging heads on brick walls
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 93 – The Resonance of Richard de Zoysa’s death
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 94 – Promoting Language Rights as well as the Right to Development
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 95 – Legislation and multiple perspectives
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 96 – Answering allegations intelligently
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 97 – Ensuring conformity to National Language Policies
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 98 – Dealing with general allegations of war crimes
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 99 – Promoting successful initiatives
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 100 – The Institute of Human Rights and its concern for the neglected
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 101 – Registering the contributions of courageous Tamils
- Sri Lanka Rights Watch 102 – Civil Rights and sincerity
Constitutional Reform – 2013
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 1 – Electoral Reform
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 2 – Limitations on the power of Parliament
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 3 – Establishment of Consultative Committees to formulate policy and monitor executive action
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 4 – Local Government Councils
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 5 – Provincial Assemblies
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 6 – The Cabinet of Ministers
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 7 – The Functions of the Cabinet of Ministers
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 8 – Judicial Accountability
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 9 – Promoting consultation in Parliament
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 10 – Ensuring greater coherence about legislation
- Ideas for Constitutional Reform 11 – Constituting Constructive Consultative Committees
- Points for discussion with regard to the proposal submitted by the TNA in February
- For the Record
- Ways to move forward in negotiation
- The need for Professionalism – 2 June 2014
- A Presidency Under Threat – The Whims of Wimal Weerawansa
- The ease of negotiating with sympathy
- Amending Standing Orders as promised to strengthen Parliament – 21 Feb 2015
A Presidency Under Threat – 2014
- The Whims of Wimal Weerawansa
- A Parliament without purpose
- Populism without planning
- A Move towards Moderation?
- The absence of structured thought
- Endemic incompetence and neglect
- Educational Mishaps
- Law and Order, Transparency and Pluralism
- Responsibility, Transparency and Accountability
- Promoting Alienation
- Insecurity and Incompetence
- The Tragedy of General Chandrasiri
- Political and Administrative Units
- 13th Amendment Inhibitions
- Public Relations
- Paranoia against efficiency
- Endless Electioneering
- Cricket and the decision making process
- Indulgences without Principle
- Vasantha’s Constitutional Amendment Vital
- Corruption and Commissions
- Money, Populism And Electoral Considerations
- Information Gaps
- Destroying International Relations
- International conspiracies and our own goals
- The Wasted Years
- Alienating the Catholics
- Presidential Insecurities
- Facing Realities
The Structure of Government
- The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 1
- The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 2
- The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 3
- The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 4
- The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 5
- The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 6
International Relations and Security – 2013
- Understanding Regional Realities
- Implications of the recent vote
- Indian Affinities
- Coping with Western pressures
- Identifying models to emulate
- The need to understand India
- Moving forward with India
- Conflating the West and America
- Understanding American attitudes
- The Arab Spring and its consequences
- Monitoring international assistance
- International Funding
- Taking Credit
- Promoting accountability internationally
- Understanding continuing governmental diffidence
- Overcoming the diffidence of government
- The weight of different pressures
- Inductive Processes
- German Foundations
- Indian interventions and those of others
Political Machinations – 2013
- Political Machinations 1 – The urge to win elections rather than institute reforms
- Political Machinations 2 – A Prime Minister without any stakes
- Political Machinations 3 – Destroying defences Internationally
- Political Machinations 4 – The international dimension
- Political Machinations 5 – Eroding confidence after the conflict
- Political Machinations 6 – The different forces ranged against the military in the North
- Political Machinations 7 – Entrenching the Tuition Culture
- Political Machinations 8 – The irresponsibility of a Cabinet decision
- Political Machinations 9 – The Norwegian need for transparency
- Political Machinations 10 – Continuous elections
- Political Machinations 11 – The problems of a large Cabinet
- Political Machinations 12 – Misrepresenting history to attack moderate perspectives
- Political Machinations 13 – In praise of Prof Pieris
- Political Machinations 14 – The various Norwegian agencies that supported BBS personnel
- Political Machinations 15 – Resentments about Development Committee meetings
- Political Machinations 16 – How the electoral system contributes to disfunctionality in regional governance
- Political Machinations 17 – Falsifying history
- Political Machinations 18 – Youth ideas about Constitutional Reform
- Political Machinations 19 – A multiplicity of Ministers
Strengthening institutions and organizational capacity
- Parliamentary responsibilities and the need to enforce them
- The absurdity of Consultative Committees in Parliament
- The principle duties of the Legislature
- The dominant function of MPs and Ministers
- How the Executive in other countries ensures necessary skills
- The uses of a Second Chamber
- Increasing the impact of Local Government
- Ensuring systematic action at Grama Niladhari level
- Promoting development through consultation
- Increasing productivity in the public sector
- The rationale for and impact of multiple Ministries
- Improving the services offered by local authorities
- The role of oversight committees of Parliament
- Revising how oversight committees of Parliament function
- Enhancing the impact of Consultative Committees of Parliament
- Increasing the responsibilities and powers of local authorities
- The relative lack on interest in Local Government
- Overcoming incoherence in the local administration
- Developing and enforcing sensible policies
- Promoting attention to the grass roots
- Coordinating to solve problems
- Suggestions for constitutional reform and strengthening grass roots decision making
- Pursuing Principles at Consultative Committees
- Local consultation and coordination
- Assessing Parliament
- Improving Protection at local levels
- Police Grass Roots structures
- The need for Electoral Reform
- Ensuring an effective Executive
- Promoting responsiveness to local needs
The Care of Children
- Children’s Homes
- Protecting Children brought before the Courts
- Children’s Clubs
- Children’s Clubs and the role of Schools
- Supplying teachers to rural schools: the need for alternative systems of training and deployment
- The need for leisure
- Coordination at Divisional Level
- Pre-Schools
- The lack of guidance or alternatives
- Army support for rural education
- The Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Educational Reform
- Stakeholder Consultation on the Development and Protection of Children
- Transport for Children
- Formulating Policy, Ensuring Practice
- Educational deprivation and continuing neglect
- The systemic changes needed to solve problems of teacher shortages
- The systemic changes needed to ensure the care of children
- Waste and corruption in the university system
- Innovations in educational provision
- Towards a comprehensive national policy on Social Care
- A survey of educational challenges in Sri Lanka
- Precision as to duties
- Expediting urgent reforms in Education
- Tuition and Ethics
- Guidelines for Women and Children’s Units
- Further proposals for Education Reform
- Nation Building and Revolutionizing the Education System
- Automatic transfers and their impact on rural schools
- National Languages input into Education
- Initiatives in the North for the young
Enemies of the President’s Promise – 2014
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Sleepy 1
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Sleepy (Part 2)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Sleepy (Part 3)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Sleepy (Part 4)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Happy (Part 1)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Happy (Part 2)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Happy (Part 3)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Happy (Part 4)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Sneezy (Part 1)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Sneezy (Part 2)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Sneezy (Part 3)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Sneezy (Part 4)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Sneezy (Part 5)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Bash-ful (Part 1)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Bash-ful (Part 2)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Bash-ful (Part 3)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Bash-ful (Part 4)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Dopey (Part 1)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Dopey (Part 2)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Dopey (Part 3)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Grumpy (Part 1)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Grumpy (Part 2)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Grumpy (Part 3)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Grumpy (Part 4)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Doc (Part 1)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Doc (Part 2)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Doc (Part 3)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – Doc (Part 4)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – The Prince (Part 1)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – The Prince (Part 2)
- Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Seven Dwarfs – The Prince (Part 3)
A Reform Agenda – 2014
- Reducing the Power of the Executive
- විධායක බලතල අඩු (ඌනනය) කිරීම
- Tightening up Foreign Policy and Foreign Relations
- Administrative Reform
- School Education
- School Administration and Resources
- Business development
- Environmental Protection
- The Electoral System the Government Promised
- A Cabinet determined on a scientific basis
- Strengthening Parliament and avoiding unnecessary bodies
- Ensuring Continuity
- Consensus with regard to Foreign Relations
- Education for Employment and Reconciliation
- The reasons the Reform Agenda has failed
- Ignoring Parliament
- Subterfuge to strengthen an Executive Prime Minister
- Undermining Reforms
- The failure to consult
- The Presidential Manifesto and Education
- Service Delivery in Divisions
- Fiscal Reform by stealth
- Freedom of Information
Good Governance – 2015
- Employment Opportunities
- Restricting abuse of ministerial resources for political advantage rather than executive work
- A few facts with regard to misrepresentation and political victimization
- Building a Nation
- Simple regulations to promote Good Governance
- Ensuring that public officials respond to the needs of people
- Accountability and the central role of the public
- Continuity
- A Responsive Judiciary
- Amendments to the draft 19th amendment at the Committee Stage
- Guarding the Guardians
- A Responsible Media
- Ministerial Perks
- Appointments to public positions
- Collegiality
- Responsiveness and mechanisms for follow up
- Overcoming Corruption
- Implications of the Bond Disaster for Good Governance, as explained by a former Deputy Governor
- Abdicating Governance
- The need for professional Civil Servants
- The problem of pervasive corruption
- Confusion between Executive and Legislature
- Making laws and regulations accessible
- Governance and Development
- Governance and Internal Security
- Dispute Resolution without Confrontation
Political Principles and their Practice in Sri Lanka
- The need for high quality thought and discussion
- Some definitions
- Powers of Government
- Separation of Powers
- The Functions of Government : Security
- The Functions of Government : Services
- Other Functions of Government
- Democracy, Representation and Devolution
- Democracy, Representation and Devolution II
- Avoiding Majoritarianism
- Law and its Institutions
- Ensuring the integriy and the efficiency of the legal profession
- Police forces and other security services
- Proper judicial procedures
- Development of democracy in Sri Lanka
- McCallum onward
- Donoughmore
- Soulbury Constitution
- The Official Languages Act
- District Development Councils and their Shortcomings
- A deadly electoral system
The Road Not Taken
- Why Standing Order Changes were delayed
- Ignoring the need for parliamentary consultation and consensus
Book Reviews
- Triumph and Disaster: The Rajapaksa years – Enid Wirekoon
- Triumph and Disaster: The Rajapaksa Years – Part I – Tamara Kunanayakam
- Triumph and Disaster: The Rajapaksa Years – Part II – Tamara Kunanayakam
Endgame : Meditations on a House, a Country, a Career
- Decline without renewal?
- Continuities
- A renewal of experience
- The Closing of Doors
- Journeys without destinations
- Walking and motorbikes
- Oxford’s Loudest Laughter
- The Trinity Imbroglio
- Cultural Initiatives
- Seeking better service coordination, and seeing South America
- New friends
- The Churches of Ethiopia
- Useless Efforts
- The Pyramids of the Sudan
- Darker Shadows
- The desert and a milestone
- Assam rivers and Norwegian fjords
- Continuing Advocacy
- Last Links
- Jordan’s Many Splendours
- Last Rites
- After the funeral
- Kazakhstan
- Lions in Tanzania – and London
- The calm before the storm
- The Sirisena campaign
- Different aspects of the campaign
- Disappointment and prevarication
- The shattering of hope
- Rajasthan after Ranil at bay
- The disappointing 19th Amendment
- Uzbekistan
- Other Civilizations
- Corruption and Confusion
- The Land of Fire
- The President’s Dilemma
- The End of a Long Road
The March of Folly – 2017
- Western encouragement of Terrorism
- The deluge we caused in Geneva
- The SLFP Core
- Our mad cabinet system
- Electoral reform – Sirisena’s greatest betrayal
- Bullying by the West
- Blocking Work
- Hamfisted Education Reforms
- Indian Involvements
- Sirisena’s damp sqib?
- Silver linings amongst the cabinet clouds
- Kabir Hashim’s selfish sense of dignity
- Personalization and the pursuit of perks
- The uses and instruments of disinformation
- Propaganda against Sri Lanka : The Ministry of own goals
- Dealing with British duplicity
- The urgent need of an independent public service
- Creating Better Members of Parliament
- Trying to improve the quality of legislation and parliamentary oversight
- Changing the foundations of administration
- Education in the doldrums
- Bringing services to the people
- The Mirror Cracks
- Packing the public service
- Eran Wickremaratne’s tears for the EPF
- Promoting Amity, 15 years late
- Sarath Fonseka as both Good Cop and Bad Cop
- The absence of ideas
- The dance of deceit
- Government lethargy in protecting our forces
- A simplistic and confused Attorney General
- Establishing clear characteristics
- German funds for the corrupt
- The sad death of liberal Karu
- Restitution with transparency rather than revenge
- Corruption compounded
- Arbitrary detention unquestioned
- Marapana as compromise Prime Minister