Factum Perspectives

Factum Perspective: “Avurudhu” in South-East Asia

History and CultureApril 14, 2024482Views 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, 2024177Views 2Likes 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, 2024150Views 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, 2024898Views 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, 2024549Views 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, 2024433Views 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, 2023379Views 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,…

Factum Perspective: The Indo-Canada spat

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 30, 2023337Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Aavin Abeydeera In September this year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the Canadian House of Commons. His speech included statements that went on to spark one of the most consequential diplomatic crises in the world today. Trudeau essentially accused Indian intelligence of being behind the assassination of one Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a…

Factum Perspective: The elections in Maldives

Regional GeopoliticsAugust 27, 2023299Views 1Like 0Comments

By Aavin Abeydeera Within the next few weeks, Maldives will be going into a general election to elect their next president. One would assume that political intrigue and kingmaking would not afflict such an idyllic nation, but such assumptions quickly erode once one delves into the palace games surrounding the Maldivian general elections. At the…

Factum Perspective: The “Other” Korea

History and Culture, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsAugust 20, 2023482Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Vinod Moonesinghe In North Korea, August 15 is Liberation Day, August 25 Songun Day, and September 9 Foundation Day. The popular picture of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as a prison camp on the brink of collapse may be exaggerated. As the late Pyongyang-based AP journalist Eric Talmadge reported in 2017,…

Factum Perspective: Recovering the Lost Paradise – Utopianism in Modern Sri Lankan Architecture and Landscaping

History and CultureAugust 13, 2023820Views 1Like 1Comment

By Dhanuka Bandara "It is necessary to cultivate our garden.” Voltaire, “Candide” On an artificial island surrounded by the Diyavanna Oya at Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka, stands the country’s most infamous building, the Parliament Complex. The Complex was designed by arguably Sri Lanka’s most renowned architect of the 20th century, Geoffrey Bawa, built during…

Factum Perspective: Child Labor in Sri Lanka – A Stolen Childhood and an Uncertain Future

International DevelopmentAugust 7, 2023638Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Britney Martil In the serene landscapes of Sri Lanka, a dark reality persists beneath the surface, where the laughter of children is silenced by exploitation and deprivation. The term “child labor” takes on an alarming interpretation since it refers to employment that destroys the innocence of childhood and jeopardizes their potential and dignity. Child…