Peace and Conflict – Page 8

Factum Perspective: Indonesia’s new draft criminal code

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsDecember 5, 2022661Views 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran In a sharp turn towards authoritarianism and archaic religiosity, Indonesia’s parliament is expected to pass, later in December, a new Criminal Code that will extend the ambit of blasphemy, ban criticism of State Institutions and criminalize cohabitation and sexual relations outside wedlock. The proposed code, which smacks of Wahhabi Islam, is…

Factum Perspective: Are China and Russia imperialist?

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsNovember 28, 2022869Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Shiran Illanperuma Recent geopolitical and economic developments disrupting the US-led unipolar world order have renewed debate on the concept of imperialism. In the post-war period, the term was politically deployed by National Liberation movements around the world, and worker states in the Communist bloc, to describe the policies and actions of the West (namely…

Factum Perspective: The geopolitics of the Jewish Homeland

History and Culture, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsNovember 15, 20221KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Vinod Moonesinghe The history of Palestine is fraught with controversy, obscured by religion. Emigration and conversion to Christianity and Islam reduced the Jewish population: by the 1516 Ottoman Conquest, they comprised 2% of the population, with Muslims 85% and Christians 11%. Ottoman Palestine thrived, exporting soap, olive oil, sugar, barley, cotton and, from the…

Factum Perspective: Why Xi Jinping is not the “New Mao”

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsNovember 7, 2022756Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Rathindra Kuruwita China changed its Constitution in 2018, abolishing term limits on the only top position it had limits on, the presidency. Following this move, certain commentators have been insisting that President Xi Jinping has transformed into a new Mao Zedong. This argument is based on their reading of certain events at the 20th…

Factum Special Perspective: Sri Lanka and Türkiye – Renewing an old friendship

Health and Economic Cooperation, International Development, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsNovember 4, 2022733Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya The Sri Lankan government has tasked the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute to conduct a review of the country’s foreign relations. While officials have not yet come out with details, the review is set to include a reconsideration of Sri Lanka’s ties with various countries, in light of recent international developments. The Executive Director…

Factum Perspective: Turkiye’s South Asia policy – An assessment

Health and Economic Cooperation, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 24, 2022521Views 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran On the face of it, opting for “strategic autonomy” in a multi-polar world makes sense. It releases a country from the shackles of pre-existing alliances and enables it to take its decisions independently. It enables a country to navigate among antagonistic international groups and strike the best bilateral bargains. In the…

Factum Perspective: Sri Lanka’s Vanishing Votes at the UN Human Rights Council

Peace and ConflictOctober 9, 2022925Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Sanja de Silva Jayatilleka On the 6th of October 2022, a resolution on Sri Lanka was adopted at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, by a vote of the 47 members of the Council, with 20 votes for the resolution, 7 against, and 20 abstentions. Resolution HRC/51/L1/Rev1 is the 9th resolution to…

Factum Perspective: The President elaborates on the geopolitics of two oceans

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 2, 2022859Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya In a recent speech at the National Defence College, President Ranil Wickremesinghe made comments on the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean, some of which throw light on aspects of his approach to foreign policy - and others that point to some grey areas. “The geopolitics of the Indian Ocean has unfortunately made…

Factum Perspective: Mikhail Gorbachev and the Vertical Downfall of Soviet Socialism

Peace and ConflictSeptember 18, 2022806Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Dr Dayan Jayatilleka With the Ukraine war, which is actually a proxy war between NATO and Russia, in full swing, one cannot but help look back at how Russia got here. I had tried to pay a call on Mikhail Gorbachev while serving as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Russia, but had failed in my…

Factum Perspective: Sri Lanka’s crisis and the dilemmas of small states

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, Maritime Security, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 12, 2022632Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya Sri Lanka’s economic woes have not cast a shadow over its complex foreign relations. On August 16, the southern port of Hambantota welcomed the Yuan Wang 5, a research vessel from China. While Colombo had asked for a deferral of the visit, it later relented and allowed the ship to dock until…

Factum Special Perspective: Taiwan – The Jewel of the West Pacific

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsAugust 28, 2022959Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Kusum Wijetilleke Following the first Sino-Japanese war in 1895, the Qing Dynasty ceded the island of Taiwan, creating Imperial Japan’s first colony. The Japanese had planned to create what it called a “model” colony, to showcase the benefits of “Japanization.” Roads and infrastructure were developed, as well as sanitation systems and a network of…

Factum Special Perspective: Spy ships in our waters

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, Maritime Security, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsAugust 18, 2022663Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne A Chinese spy ship docking at the Hambantota Port has become news in Sri Lanka and India. Yet very few seem to be asking as to what exactly a spy ship is. Simply put, it is a ship dedicated for reconnaissance missions, especially electronic eavesdropping. A considerable number of countries…