Factum Perspectives

Factum Perspectives: Double Trouble? A ‘Super’ El Nino Amidst the Fallout of the Iran War in the Indian Ocean

Climate and environment, International DevelopmentJuly 26, 2026186Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Sasindi Fernando On June 17, 2026, President Trump signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran at the Palace of Versailles, calling for an end to hostilities. Iran eased its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, and the world exhaled - briefly. Within a month, ceasefire violations and renewed strikes from both sides rendered…

Factum Special Perspective: Testing time for India’s foreign policy

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 31, 20241KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran India has reached a stage where it sees itself as a power that can pursue its “national interest” in defiance of the top dogs of the world order. Undeniably, India has successes in the economic and technological fields to validate its claim to an extent. India is wooed by the major…

Factum Perspective: Ukraine – Strategic and Technological Hothouse

Peace and Conflict, UncategorizedAugust 4, 2024854Views 1Like 0Comments

By Vinod Moonesinghe Russia launched its “Special Military Operation” (Spetsialnaya Voennaya Operatsiya – SVO), aimed at “demilitarizing” Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The Russian forces launched their campaign in much the same way as they did in the Crimea in 2014, when the Ukrainian forces did not resist. There is evidence to suggest that the…

Factum Perspective: Breaking Down the UK Election

Peace and Conflict, UncategorizedJuly 7, 2024946Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Minoli Gunarathna The recent UK general election has yielded profound changes with substantial implications for both domestic and international politics. Keir Starmer's Labour Party has emerged victorious, achieving a historic landslide win that signals the end of the Conservative Party's 14-year reign. Labour now controls nearly two-thirds of the seats in the 650-seat House…

Factum Perspective: Strengthening Legal Literacy

Peace and Conflict, UncategorizedMay 12, 20242KViews 1Like 0Comments

By Lahiru S. Thilakarathna Let us first look at what is meant by the term "to be literate" on any given subject. Literacy in a subject encompasses the ability to understand and critically evaluate information related to the topic, as well as the capacity to apply this knowledge in practical or relevant contexts. As our…

Factum Perspective: “Avurudhu” in South-East Asia

History and CultureApril 14, 20242KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Vinod Moonesinghe This year, Sri Lankans celebrate their traditional mid-April Solar New Year amidst controversy. Known to the Sinhalese as Aluth Avurudhu and to the Tamils as Puthandu, the New Year is marked by the transition of the Sun from the constellation Pisces, known in Sanskrit (the language of Indic astrologers) as Meena Rashi,…

Thailand: From Bamboo Diplomacy to Hedging-by-Default

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsMarch 24, 20242KViews 3Likes 0Comments

By Kividi Koralage Thailand, an emerging economy that has experienced various challenges in adopting a foreign policy in the contemporary world, over China's rise in power and civil unrest in Myanmar, has remained committed to a policy of economic diplomacy. Thailand's foreign policy has been described as “bamboo diplomacy.” This policy has assisted the country…

Factum Special Perspective: Russia Faces Polls in March

Peace and Conflict, UncategorizedFebruary 29, 2024974Views 1Like 0Comments

By Aavin Abeydeera In March 2024, the Russian Federation will hold its eighth presidential election. More than 114 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballot in choosing their next executive president. Of course, these elections are set to the backdrop of several key sociopolitical events, with the Russo-Ukrainian War at the forefront. Amongst…

Stateless Myanmar’s Migrant Children in Thailand

Special ReportsFebruary 8, 20243KViews 0Likes 0Comments

As refugees from Myanmar stream into Thailand, the newborn children of those refugees face a bleak, uncertain future. In a Factum Special Report, we look into the plight of these children and the numerous problems faced by their parents. Download Full Report: Stateless Myanmar’s Migrant Children. A Factum Special ReportDownload

Factum Perspective: Escalating Tensions from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsFebruary 3, 20242KViews 1Like 0Comments

By Rear Admiral Y. N. Jayarathna (Retd) When Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, the world’s sympathy was with the Israeli people. It was clearly an act of terrorism, and was duly condemned as such. By November, the world began reacting differently, as Israel’s counterattack became visibly indiscriminate. Despite Palestinian politicians failing to make…

Factum Special Perspective: South Africa’s “moment” in International Law

International Development, Peace and ConflictJanuary 16, 20242KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Ramindu Perera Last week, South Africa referred Israel’s actions in the occupied Gaza Strip to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) arguing that the military operations amount to the crime of genocide. The oral hearings of the case were held on 11 and 12 January at the Hague, and the case has already attracted…

Factum Special Perspective: The Role of International Fellowships in Bridging Knowledge Gaps and Spurring Entrepreneurship

International Development, Peace and Conflict, UncategorizedNovember 9, 20231KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Tahira Sheriff In a world brimming with challenges, the power of unity, collaboration, and shared purpose shines ever more brightly. Such is the saga of my journey through the Professional Fellowship Exchange Program organized by the US Department of State. Over five weeks, I figured among 20 exceptional fellows from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India,…