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After the storm: Flight SU-289 and Sri Lanka-Russia ties

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsJune 7, 2022812Views 0Likes 0Comments

Cartoon by Awantha Artigala By Uditha Devapriya On June 2, the Commercial High Court of Colombo issued an enjoining order against Flight SU-289 over a lease matter, in effect preventing it from returning home. The flight had been handled by Aeroflot, the Russian airline at the center of a controversy over Western sanctions. The order had…

The fall of Anuradhapura and the lessons of history

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsJune 5, 20221KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Professor Raj Somadeva The Pali Chronicles, namely the Mahavamsa and Culavamsa (written in the fifth century and 13th century CE respectively) do not celebrate all the kings of Sri Lanka, though they valorize quite a number of them. Very often they pin the blame for the disintegration of the State on those who ruled…

Factum Perspective: Pakistan’s economic storm and lessons for Sri Lanka

Health and Economic Cooperation, Regional GeopoliticsMay 29, 2022715Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Muhammad Aftab Alam Covid19-related restrictions have devasted the world’s most vulnerable economies. The situation has essentially worsened since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, crushing countries whose Gross Domestic Product depends on exports of single-source goods and services such as tourism, imports of essential goods such as fuel and gas, and sustained inflows…

Australia under Albanese: A return to form?

Regional GeopoliticsMay 24, 2022523Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya Anthony Albanese is now officially the 31st Prime Minister of Australia. The fourth Australian Labor Party leader to win the country’s premiership since World War II, Albanese has given every indication that his policies will be different from those of his predecessor, Scott Morrison. These obviously include foreign relations. Considering recent geopolitical…

Factum Perspective: Foreign policy for the next 12 months

Regional GeopoliticsMay 17, 2022711Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya and Zeenath Ayub Barely 10 minutes after his appointment as Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung congratulated Ranil Wickremesinghe on Twitter, emphasizing the need for political stability. Although the jury is still out on Mr Wickremesinghe and whether his appointment will pacify those asking for Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s…

Factum Perspective: Indo-Filipino lessons for crisis-hit Sri Lanka

Regional GeopoliticsMay 1, 2022573Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Dr Ranga Kalansooriya and Zeenath Ayub Caption: Then Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, wife Imelda Marcos with President Ronald Raegan in the White House 1981 Sri Lanka’s economy is in shambles. Exacerbating this is a political deadlock between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who are exchanging pleasantries…

Factum Perspective: Sharing power: From Madurai to Anuradhapura

Regional GeopoliticsApril 24, 2022586Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya Sri Lanka’s ties with India have been tenuous, at times friendly but very often lukewarm. Since of late, however, the dynamics have changed, dramatically. Perhaps for the first time since independence, the island has forged amicable and longstanding ties with its neighbour to the north. Since last year, India has provided around…

Factum Perspective: Eurasian integration is a pre-requisite for de-dollarizing Sri Lanka

Health and Economic Cooperation, Regional GeopoliticsApril 10, 2022623Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Shiran Illanperuma The NATO-Russia conflict playing out in Ukraine has brought to the fore long-simmering international tensions. These include the role of the US Dollar as the global reserve currency, and the power of the US government to unilaterally exclude nations that challenge its dominance from international trade, by sanctions and bans from international…

Factum Perspective: MRCC – a step forward in India’s growing influence on Sri Lanka

Maritime Security, Regional GeopoliticsMarch 27, 2022809Views 0Likes 0Comments

By LP Fresh on the heels of India’s one billion US dollar credit facility granted to support Sri Lanka’s ailing economy; news broke of cabinet ministers of Sri Lanka granting approval for the proposal to establish a Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) in Sri Lanka. Aided by a grant of the Indian government worth six…

Factum Perspective: Ukraine Crisis – End of NATO expansion and restoration of the “Russian World”

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsFebruary 27, 2022694Views 0Likes 0Comments

“I am convinced that the true sovereignty of Ukraine is possible precisely in partnership with Russia. Our spiritual, human, civilizational ties have been formed for centuries, go back to the same sources, tempered by common trials, achievements and victories. Our kinship is passed down from generation to generation. It is in the hearts, in the memory of people…

Factum Perspective: Ukraine – A lone democracy fighting a nuclear state

Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsFebruary 27, 2022504Views 0Likes 0Comments

By: Dr Ranga Kalansooriya and Omar Rajarathnam As of yesterday, nuclear state Russia for the third day bombarded sovereign and less powerful state Ukraine. The powerful Western democracies and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) states who vowed to stand with Ukraine are standing, not the way Ukraine and its people expected, but by issuing…

Factum Perspective: Indo-China influence – Which way foreign policy for Sri Lanka?

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Regional GeopoliticsFebruary 19, 2022477Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya During a recent visit to New Delhi, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister G. L. Peiris stated that Sri Lankans “increasingly recognise” India as a true friend. Peiris thanked India for offering much-needed assistance to the tune of USD 2.4 billion, emphasising cooperation in areas like energy security and air and sea connectivity…