Peace and Conflict

Factum Perspective: The relevance of Aung San Suu Kyi

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsApril 21, 202461Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya In the face of growing unrest, turmoil, and chaos, the military junta governing Myanmar decided last week to move Aung San Suu Kyi – the democratically elected leader ousted in a coup in 2021 – into house arrest. The decision stemmed ostensibly from concerns over her health: Suu Kyi is 78, and…

Factum Perspective: Kachchativu and the Real Issue

Maritime Security, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsApril 10, 202481Views 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran There is hullabaloo in India over the tiny and uninhabited Kachchativu island in the Palk Strait. It was triggered earlier this month by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also the supremo of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). To everyone’s surprise, Modi accused the opposition Congress party of giving…

Thailand: From Bamboo Diplomacy to Hedging-by-Default

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsMarch 24, 2024152Views 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 Perspective: The Philippines Takes a Stand in the South China Sea

Maritime Security, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsMarch 17, 2024113Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Minoli Gunarathna The South China Sea has long been a simmering pot of territorial disputes, with multiple countries laying claim to various islands, reefs, and maritime features. Recently, tensions have flared between the Philippines and China, with the Philippine Senate passing the Maritime Zones Bill. This aims to solidify the Philippines' claims in the…

Factum Special Perspective: Russia Faces Polls in March

Peace and Conflict, UncategorizedFebruary 29, 2024134Views 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…

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

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsFebruary 3, 2024532Views 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 Perspective: Unveiling the Unseen – Gaza’s Brave Journalists

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsJanuary 21, 2024227Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Zeenath Ayub During the proceedings of the case against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) about their war on Gaza, Irish Lawyer Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh, representing South Africa, described the situation as “The first genocide in history where its victims are broadcasting their own destruction in real time, in desperate — and…

Factum Special Perspective: The Iran-Pakistan Conflict and Consequences for South Asia

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsJanuary 17, 2024177Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Adnan Rehmat An unexpected drone and missile attack by Iran on targets inside Pakistan on January 16, 2024, and Islamabad’s angry diplomatic reaction have added a potentially new destabilizing dimension in the already deadly situation in the Middle East. If not handled properly it may have potentially damaging geopolitical and geostrategic consequences for South…

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

International Development, Peace and ConflictJanuary 16, 2024415Views 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 Perspective: South Asian countries at a crossroads

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsJanuary 14, 2024222Views 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran 2024 is turning out to be a year of elections in South Asia. The year dawned with parliamentary elections in Bangladesh and Bhutan. Later in the year, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka will vote to elect either a President or a parliament. Elections bring out the cleavages in a society, and…

Factum Special Perspective: Houthis, the Red Sea, and Sri Lankan Politics

Maritime Security, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsJanuary 9, 20241KViews 2Likes 0Comments

By Rear Admiral Y. N. Jayarathna (Retd) Naval assets are tools through which a country’s geopolitical standing is constantly being tested – especially in contested waters. After Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, the US promptly dispatched two carrier battle groups to the Gulf and the Mediterranean. The purpose was to…

Factum Perspective: Women’s Rights, Sexual Offenses, and Violence against Women in Sri Lanka and South Asia

Peace and Conflict, UncategorizedJanuary 7, 2024397Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Britney Martil The spotlight on women's rights and the pervasive issue of violence against women has grown exponentially since the mid-1990s. Recognized as a formidable obstacle to equality, development, and peace, violence against women is deeply entrenched in historical inequalities between men and women. At both international and national levels, unprecedented attention has been…