From politics

An Appeal to the Next President of Sri Lanka by Women Affected by War

We, women directly impacted by war and working on issues of truth and justice, believe that the dawn of the new year in Sri Lanka provides an opening to address several urgent issues. The Presidential Election on 8 January 2015 presents an opportunity to the people of Sri Lanka to decide its future, with the two main contenders being President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena. Since the announcement of elections and campaigning in late 2014, we have observed the promises and pledges by all candidates and hoped there would be recognition of the issues faced by women affected by the…

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Presidential election 2015 and the Tamil voter by Sivamohan Sumathy

Department of English, University of Peradeniya What is striking about the 2015 elections? It is the upsurge in the call for democracy and the call to put an end to aggression, arbitrary actions. Significantly, it has opened up spaces for the minority community, the minority voter, to once again find a voice within the politics of the state. My writing here concerns largely Tamil politics, political leadership and the north and east Tamil voter, particularly of the north. In this, I wish to state at the outset, I am not addressing the Malaiyaha Tamil voter or those who are ‘traditional’…

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Let us act decisively in the name of generations to come: declaration by university academics on the 2015 Presidential election

The presidential election has been announced and each of us will be called upon to exercise our vote as citizens of this country on the 8th of January 2015. It is our considered view that our country is at a historically important juncture at this moment and our decision at this election will have crucial implications for future generations. While we do not believe that all the changes we desire can be achieved overnight, or simply through a regime change, we believe strongly that this presidential election offers a window of opportunity to re-establish democracy, the rule of law and…

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A Common People’s Agenda for Just, Democratic and People-friendly Governance

Full text of the MoU singed by the political parties and civil organisations with Common candidate Maithripala Sirisena on 1st December 2014 in Colombo A Common People’s Agenda for Just, Democratic and People-friendly Governance • the total breakdown of the Rule of Law, • the erosion of democratic institutions essential for governance, • an unprecedented widening of social disparities and social injustices, • severe strains on co-existence between different ethnic and religious communities and increasing disharmony and distrust. In this situation, the following program is presented so as to re-establish democracy, good governance, social justice and the rule of law.…

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