Peace and Conflict – Page 3

Factum Perspective: When a book by a Mossad Officer led to a Commission of Inquiry in Sri Lanka

History and Culture, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 15, 2023591Views 1Like 0Comments

By Chandani Kirinde While successive Sri Lankan governments have recognised the right of the Palestinian people to independent statehood, based on relevant United Nations resolutions, its relations with the State of Israel have been less than consistent. Sri Lanka established diplomatic ties with Israel in 2000, but relations between the two have historically vacillated depending…

Factum Special Perspective: How Hamas pummeled Israeli intelligence

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 12, 2023465Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Rathindra Kuruwita On October 7, Hamas launched a rocket barrage of at least 3,000 missiles against Israel. This was followed by an invasion by land and on air. Militants broke through the Gaza-Israel barrier and forced their way through the Gaza border, entering and attacking Israeli communities and military installations, and killing at…

Factum Perspective: The Indo-Canada spat

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 30, 2023330Views 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 Special Perspective: The Draft Online Safety Bill

Peace and Conflict, Science and Technology, Tech CooperationSeptember 27, 2023708Views 1Like 0Comments

By Jagath Liyanarachchi On September 18, 2023, the Draft Online Safety Bill was published in the Sri Lankan Government Gazette on the orders of the Minister of Justice. The following is a brief introduction to the Bill. Objectives of the Bill As stated in Section 3, the purpose of the Bill is 1/ To protect…

Factum Perspective: The President in New York

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, International Development, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 23, 2023558Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya The last week has been very busy for President Ranil Wickremesinghe. First he travelled to Cuba, in time for the G77 Plus China Heads of State Summit in Havana from September 15 to 16. Largely dismissed by the Western press, the Summit saw the participation of delegations from more than a…

Factum Perspective: The Rise of Africa

Health and Economic Cooperation, International Development, Peace and ConflictSeptember 17, 2023249Views 0Likes 0Comments

The emergence of new economic powerhouses within Africa has been a defining recent phenomenon. These emerging powers are playing an increasingly pivotal role in shaping the continent's economic landscape, challenging established norms, and spearheading transformative development. Emerging powers like Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Ethiopia are driving this change in Africa's trajectory, along with other…

Factum Perspective: Marine science research in Sri Lanka – Pitfalls and Potentials

Maritime Security, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 3, 2023645Views 0Likes 2Comments

By Rear Admiral Y. N. Jayarathna (Retd) Given recent media reports, mostly Indian, marine science research appears to have become a hot topic yet again. Whilst debates linger over this, I wish to share some of my thoughts for readers to understand these issues from a Sri Lankan point of view. I consider this important,…

Factum Perspective: The “Other” Korea

History and Culture, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsAugust 20, 2023478Views 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 Special Perspective: Sri Lanka’s trilemma

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsJuly 26, 2023422Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya Sri Lanka’s future lies in its ability to balance the three great powers in – and not of – the Indian Ocean: India, China, and the US, and in that order. Its dilemma has something to do with it being a small state, but more importantly with it being a small state…

Factum Perspective: Modi in the White House – The role of China in Indo-US relations

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsJuly 9, 2023282Views 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran China’s aggressive posturing on the Sino-Indian border, its support to Pakistan-based anti-Indian Islamic terrorists, and its bid to encircle India in South Asia, are key factors pushing India into the waiting arms of the United States. But India is not entirely comfortable in the American embrace. And the reason, again, is…

Factum Perspective: Bloodshed averted in Russia

Peace and ConflictJune 26, 2023450Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Rathindra Kuruwita Bloodshed has been averted in Russia, probably to the relief of many who didn’t want further destabilization of the international order. Russia seemed to be on the verge of civil war by Saturday when the leader of the Russian PMC Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced that his forces had taken control of…

Factum Special Perspective: The elections in Türkiye

International Development, Peace and ConflictMay 31, 2023381Views 1Like 1Comment

By Aavin Abeydeera Enjoying its position as the middleman between Europe, the Middle East, and greater Asia, Türkiye’s elections have always made it to the front page. Should an election swing to the far right, the European Union suddenly goes on red alert. Should an election swing to the far left, the Middle East criticizes…