COMMENTARIES
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Dateline Colombo
The Importance of Electing the Best to our Nation's Parliament
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera · 11 Aug, 2015 · #4905 · Commentary · Column
“People who live in Sri Lanka are first and foremost Sri Lankans, then we have our race and religion, which is something given to us at birth.”
- Lakshman Kadirgamar
On 17 August, Sri Lankans will elect their new parl...
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Looking East
Naga Peace Accord: Need to Reserve Euphoria
Wasbir Hussain · 04 Aug, 2015 · #4904 · Commentary · Column
The signing of the ‘framework agreement’ between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland’s Isak-Muivah faction (NSCN-IM) in New Delhi on 3 August 2015 is certainly a landmark development because i...
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East Asia Compass
Many ‘Pivots to Asia’: What Does It Mean For Regional Stability?
Dr Sandip Kumar Mishra · 03 Aug, 2015 · #4903 · Commentary · Column
The US President Barack Obama announced his new strategy for the Asia-Pacific - ‘pivot to Asia’ - in 2011. It was also called ‘strategic rebalancing’ which emphasised that the US was ‘here to stay’ to and it w...
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Voice from America
The Iran Deal: Is it Hard to Resist?
Amit Gupta · 27 Jul, 2015 · #4902 · Commentary
After much pain and negotiation, the P5+1 and Iran have reached a nuclear deal. Inevitably, the Republicans, along with a set of strange bedfellows consisting of Israel, the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, and even some Democrats, are questioni...
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Eulogy
PR Chari: Scholar, Gentleman, Institution Builder
Amit Gupta · 26 Jul, 2015 · #4901 · Commentary
Mr. P.R. Chari, who passed away on July 24, 2015, was a rare person in New Delhi’s intellectual circles. Although a career bureaucrat, he successfully transitioned to becoming a first rate scholar and, along with Major General (Retd....
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Looking East
Myanmar Polls: Test for Suu Kyi and Democracy
Wasbir Hussain · 17 Jul, 2015 · #4900 · Commentary · Column
It is time for fresh national elections in Myanmar. The much-hyped polls to the 664-member Parliament - finally fixed for 8 November 2015 - will be a test for both democracy in the former pariah state ruled by a military dictatorship as well as ...
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The Strategist
The Blight of Ambiguity
Vice Admiral Vijay Shankar · 14 Jul, 2015 · #4899 · Commentary · Column
Is ambiguity in Pakistan’s nuclear policy a deliberate drama being played out by a strutting military to legitimise its vision of the Pakistani nation?
A prevalent position in the Pakistani military establishment, particularly amongst...
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Spotlight West Asia
A Potential Indian Role in West Asia?
Ranjit Gupta · 14 Jul, 2015 · #4898 · Commentary · Column
Since the beginning of 2011, a blood-soaked West Asia has been constantly enveloped by increasing deaths, destruction, devastation and displacement. The region is going through the worst ever period in its history with little prospects of any im...
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East Asia Compass
On the 10th Anniversary of the East Asian Summit
Dr Sandip Kumar Mishra · 08 Jul, 2015 · #4897 · Commentary · Column
In November 2015, the tenth anniversary of the East Asian Summit (EAS) will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The last ten years of the EAS has been less than satisfactory in bringing together the 18 member countries on important issues of regi...
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Dateline Colombo
Sri Lanka: Toward a Diaspora Re-Engagement Plan
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera · 06 Jul, 2015 · #4896 · Commentary · Column
“There is an unofficial leader of the opposition. What we have is confusion; there are MPs of the same party in government as well as in the opposition.”
Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, JVP Leader
With the parliament of Sri Lanka in ...
