When Silence isn't SilentDownload
Factum LK
By Professor Prasanna Perera
Context:
After the severe macroeconomic crisis of 2022, which led to sovereign default, foreign exchange shortages, and the largest economic contraction in the country’s post-independence economic history.
At present, Sri Lanka’s inflation has dropped from 70% to only 2-3%, and GDP growth increased to 4-5% from a negative growth. Stabilization has…
In May 2023, ethnic violence erupted in Manipur, India, leading to a profound humanitarian crisis characterized by loss of life, mass displacement, and deep-seated communal trauma. While the conflict was rooted in long-standing socio-political tensions, its rapid escalation was fueled by a modern catalyst: the digital landscape.
Fabricated Reality: The role of Social Media during…
Factum Perspective: Shockwaves from the Strait: The Implications of a US–Iran Conflict for Sri Lanka
By Devmini Bandara
In an increasingly interconnected world, wars rarely remain confined to the battlefield. Conflicts between major powers reverberate through global markets, supply chains, and political institutions, often impacting countries far removed from the immediate theatre of war. For the Global South, and particularly for small, import-dependent economies like Sri Lanka, the consequences…
AN ANALYTICAL DISCLOSER OF STATUS AFTER THE ACTION AT SEA
By Rear Admiral YN Jayarathna (Retd)
This is an After-Action Analysis1 of the sinking of IRIS (Islamic Republic of Iran Ship) Dena F75, a Frigate Class warship that was torpedoed on 4th March 2026 in Sri Lanka’s maritime jurisdiction. The incident happened outside the territorial waters, yet within…
By Dinouk Colombage
As the conflict with Iran enters its second week, the threat of an expansion of the theatre of war from the Middle East into surrounding regions has become a very grave possibility. This last week saw U.S. military operations extend beyond the Gulf and into the Indian Ocean, violating the 1971 U.N. Declaration…
By Uditha Devapriya
Given that these are early hours, it is perhaps wise not to make too many predictions about what the day after this latest round of attacks on Iran will look like. As of the writing of this article, we know two things: the spate of attacks and counterattacks, and confirmation from Iranian…
By Gobinath Ponnuthurai
Abstract
This paper examines the radical transformation of the Sri Lankan voter’s mindset from 2015 to 2024, specifically focusing on the erosion of ideological political anchors in favour of “action-oriented” viralism. By analyzing the electoral cycles of 2015, 2019, and 2024, the study illustrates how social media—driven by clickbait and rage-bait—has shortened the electorate’s attention span…
By Sasindi Fernando
When Belgium’s De Wever confirmed that the U.S. was an ally but had to ‘behave like an ally’ at the WEF in Davos earlier this year, he was not simply lamenting the fraying of a strategic partnership, but a structural divergence of priorities within the transatlantic bond. Europe was still reeling…
By Bihandu De Silva
For nearly eighty years, the bedrock of global stability was a series of predictable, if sometimes strained, alliances centered on Washington. To be an ally of the United States was to participate in a shared legal and economic ecosystem - a world defined by the "rules-based order." However, as the second Trump administration settled into power, that…
Factum Perspectives: Sovereignty on Sale: Trump, Greenland, and the Unmasking of Superpower Ambition
By Zeenath Ayub
In the 21st century, a global landscape seemingly long removed from the era of imperialist expansion has been jolted by a sudden revival of old-world territorial ambitions. This shift was brought into sharp focus by the explicit interest of US President Donald Trump in the Arctic island of Greenland – a move that challenged modern…
By Aakil Riyaz
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement entered into force on 17 January 2026, marking a significant shift in how the international community governs Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ). For a littoral state such as Sri Lanka, whose economy, environment, and maritime security are intertwined with the Indian Ocean, the agreement goes…