Factum Perspectives – Page 12

Factum Perspective: “Location – Location – LOCATION” Defence Diplomacy & Indo-Pacific Strategies for SL

Maritime SecurityOctober 17, 2021584Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne ( Retired from Sri Lanka Navy) Former Navy Commander and Chief of Defence Staff The former U.S. Indo -Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris, delivering his keynote speech at Galle Dialogue 2016 attributed Sri Lanka’s strategic importance to the US on three factors; “Location, location and location”. These words by Admiral Harris…

Factum Perspective: Breaking down The Pandora Papers

International DevelopmentOctober 11, 2021745Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Chamara Sumanapala Before October 3 this year, most of us had heard about only one Pandora. The Greek mythology character that opened up a box and released all the vices that are present in the society. On October 3, another Pandora made headlines – a collection of documents carrying financial details named “Pandora…

Factum Perspective: Yohani, Menike Mage Hithe and Sri Lanka’s long road in Cultural Diplomacy

Regional GeopoliticsOctober 2, 20211KViews 1Like 0Comments

By Asoka Handagama Yohani and Satheeshan's rendition of Menike Mage Hithe goes viral Yohani De Silva’s cover of Menika Mage Hithe has gone viral, putting little known Sri Lanka on the map among pop music fans around the globe. Bollywood celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Priyanka Chopra are all praise for the song. Famous…

Factum Perspective: X- Press Pearl Fire – Has the Polluter Paid Sri Lanka yet?

Maritime SecuritySeptember 29, 2021519Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Lakmali Manamperi x-Press Pearl burning off the coast of Colombo The X-Press Pearl fire; the worst-ever marine disaster to occur in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters is being swept under the carpet with the rise of the health emergency in the country. Environmental rights activists have consistently shed light on the issue to seek compensation for…

Factum Perspective: Why are foreign exchange reserves important for an economy?

Health and Economic Cooperation, International DevelopmentSeptember 19, 2021990Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Dr R.H. S. Samaratunga Discussions about Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange (Forex) reserves have made headlines in the past few months. What are foreign currency reserves and how does a country benefit from maintaining good forex reserves? Forex reserves areforeign-currency deposits held by country’s central banks and/or monetary authorities. It also includes gold reserves, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and International Monetary…

Factum Perspective: Emotional intelligence in strategic policy articulation

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 13, 2021777Views 0Likes 0Comments

J R Jayewardene and the Treat of Peace for Japan By Karu Paranawithana Caption – J.R. Jayawardene addresses the San Francisco Conference September post-1951 is an important month in Japan-Sri Lanka relations. Why? On 6 September this year (2021) Japan celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Treaty of Peace with Japan, an outcome…

Factum Perspective: Myanmar declares war against own military

Peace and ConflictSeptember 7, 2021636Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Dr Ranga Kalansooriya The D-Day announcement by the Acting-President of Myanmar’s underground National Unity Government (NUG) Duwa Lashi La today, September 7 officially declared a protracted civil war in the Southeast Asian nation. The development is expected to take the shape of a nation-wide hide-and-seek guerilla warfare over the coming years. The head…

Factum Perspective: Travel Bubble amid vaccine politics the only way out for tourism

Health and Economic CooperationSeptember 5, 2021546Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Vipula Wanigasekera Sri Lanka tourism revenue has slumped from US $4.4 billion at the peak to almost nothing in 2020. Among the other worst hit foreign exchange earners were foreign remittance, apparel, and tea exports. A senior hotelier representing Sri Lanka’s tourism power brand Jetwing, claims losses of over Rs 2.5 billion in…

Factum Perspective: The Responsibility to Protect during a global pandemic

Health and Economic CooperationAugust 29, 2021845Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Sarasi Paranamanna The contentious principle of Right to Protect (R2P), was utilized by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) most sanctimoniously in their intervention in Libya. Whether the principle was used as a result of opportunistic humanitarianism or was in a pragmatic sense is a debate for another day. But in the backdrop…

Factum Perspective: Two Super Power Scripts Ruining Asian Democracy

Peace and ConflictAugust 22, 20211KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Dr Ranga Kalansooriya Mullah Baradar of Taliban tipped to become the Supreme Spiritual Leader of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Six months ago, the people of Myanmar took to the streets of Yangon against its military junta that toppled a democratically elected government and jailed an elected leader - Aung Saan Suu Kyi. Now,…

Factum Perspective: Kadirgamar strategically infused professionalism into the Foreign Service

Regional GeopoliticsAugust 15, 2021576Views 1Like 0Comments

By Seevali The Government of Sri Lanka is planning to bring in professionals into the Foreign Service from various fields, mainly from some selected corporate entities. The last project carried out during the tenure of late Lakshman Kadirgamar, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister in the 90s, under President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga aimed to achieve…

Factum Perspective: China’s Communist and ‘The Industrial Party’

Regional GeopoliticsAugust 8, 20211KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Rathindra Kuruwita Many assume that the Chinese Community Party (CCP) combs the country’s social media platforms in search of critical content with the intention of putting people under house arrest. And of course, sometimes bloggers and message board theorists do get placed in house arrest; however, more often the CCP does this to know…