Factum Perspectives – Page 3

Factum Special Perspective: Syria and the Dominos of History

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsDecember 11, 2024407Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Kusum Wijetilleke The Golan Heights is a strategically important plateau in the south-west of Syria, just one of the many areas of the Levant that have been contested for several decades. The Sea of Galilee, called Lake Tiberias, in the Golan Heights, feeds the major water sources of the region including the Jordan River;…

Factum Perspective: The New Zealand Parliament Meme – What’s Wrong?

History and CultureDecember 8, 2024439Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Mohamed Shafkath On November 14, 2024, a video clip from the parliament of New Zealand surfaced the internet. The video shows Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, the youngest MP of the current parliament, representing the Te Pāti Māori tearing up a draft of the Treaty Principles Bill, while performing a haka, the traditional war cry of the…

Factum Perspective: Trump’s New America

International Development, Peace and ConflictDecember 1, 2024312Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Aavin Abeydeera Donald Trump is the new president of the free world once again. This time around, there has been very little questioning about his ascendancy, despite the magnitude of this popularity in the voting booths. Winning both the electoral college and the popular vote, Trump has ridden a wave of incredible support. There…

Factum Perspective: In Sri Lanka, a new era of governance

Peace and Conflict, UncategorizedNovember 24, 2024383Views 2Likes 0Comments

By Dulmi Thimansa On November 14, 2024, Sri Lanka held its first parliamentary elections after a four-year interval. The National People’s Power (NPP), also known as Jathika Jana Balawegaya, emerged as the dominant political force. The party secured 141 seats in parliament along with an additional 18 seats from the national list, for a total…

Factum Perspective: Sri Lanka’s Economic Future – Lessons from Malaysia, the Role of Bretton Woods Institutions, and the potential of BRICS Membership

Health and Economic Cooperation, International DevelopmentNovember 17, 2024297Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Kividi Koralage Malaysia’s economic journey during the Asian financial crisis (1997-1998) and its resistance to International Monetary Fund assistance offer significant lessons to Sri Lankans today, as Sri Lanka navigates its economic challenges marked by high debt, inflation, and declining foreign reserves. Understanding Malaysia’s approach to crisis management can provide key insights into balancing…

Factum Perspective: How digital spaces are redefining democracy in the 2024 election

Peace and ConflictNovember 10, 2024465Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Manuja Wijesuriya 2024 is a significant year for global elections, with many countries across different continents holding elections this year. It is said that the 2024 election year was the busiest on record, with nearly half of the global population heading to the polls.[1] There was significant political activity anticipated this year, particularly with…

Factum Perspective: Digital Dynamics – Media and Geopolitics in the Modern Middle East

Peace and Conflict, Regional Geopolitics, Tech CooperationNovember 3, 2024568Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Deshani Samaragunarathna In the contemporary landscape of the Middle East, information technology has become a potent tool for power. The region's social and political landscapes are diversifying, reflecting significant changes in how information is disseminated, consumed, and wielded. Over the past few decades, particularly since the Arab Spring, the media landscape has transformed dramatically.…

Factum Perspective: Is the United Nations Failing in the Israel-Palestine Conflict?

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 20, 2024441Views 1Like 0Comments

By Dulmi Thimansa On Wednesday, October 2, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres persona non grata, banning him from entering the country. Katz justified the move on the grounds that Guterres had supposedly failed to “forcefully condemn” Iran’s missile attacks on Israel. He added that anyone who “cannot unequivocally condemn…

Factum Perspective: 2024 Sri Lankan Elections – The Momentous Rise of the Populist Left

Peace and Conflict, UncategorizedOctober 13, 2024995Views 1Like 0Comments

By Ramindu Perera On September 23, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the 56-year-old leftist leader of the National People Power (NPP), was sworn in as President of Sri Lanka. The presidential election was a three-cornered contest between former President Ranil Wickremasinghe who stood for the elections as an independent candidate, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi…

Factum Special Perspective: Ethnic dimensions of the Sri Lankan presidential election

Peace and Conflict, UncategorizedOctober 10, 2024396Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Sivashanti Sivalingam The 2024 Presidential Election in Sri Lanka brought significant shifts in voting patterns, particularly in the Tamil-speaking regions of the North, East, and Central Provinces, showcasing the aspirations of the minorities to be heard, yet again. Sajith Premadasa, a Sinhala politician, secured substantial support from the Tamil community despite ethnic divides. The…

Factum Perspective: Presidential Elections in Sri Lanka – Key Takeaways

Peace and Conflict, Regional Geopolitics, UncategorizedOctober 6, 2024503Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Mohamed Shafkath and Dulmi Thimansa On September 21, 2024, Sri Lankans elected their ninth Executive President, Dissanyaka Mudiyansalage Anura Kumara Dissanayake. His win was not a simple victory; rather, a phenomenal one. Dissanayake managed to secure 5,634,915 votes in the first preference votes itself, leading by more than a million votes than the candidate…

Factum Special Perspective: The Opening of a New Political Leadership and Political Culture in Sri Lanka

Regional Geopolitics, UncategorizedOctober 3, 2024744Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Rear Admiral Y. N. Jayarathna (Retd) The recently held presidential election in Sri Lanka has opened the doors for a new and younger political leadership in the island nation. Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s ascension from a third-party candidacy to President was not a journey of comfort and pleasure, since along the way he was pitted…