Daily Express Sri Lanka

01/06/2026

In a historic move, Sri Lanka's Buddhist hierarchy has suspended Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana, the 71-year-old senior monk and chief custodian of the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree, over allegations of sexually
abusing an 11-year-old girl. This is the first major disciplinary action of its kind in recent memory.
But this case is not just about one monk. It exposes a deeper, more painful truth: too often, the ochre robe has been treated as a shield against accountability. The data is stark, nearly 300 Buddhist monks accused of child abuse in just three years, yet charges brought against fewer than 30.
The suspension happened on Vesak Day, the day we commemorate the Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and passing. There is bitter symbolism
here. It is time to re-embody the Dhamma in protection for children, justice for victims, and institutions unafraid to act.

Read the full editorial below.....

In a rare and striking disciplinary move, Sri Lanka's Buddhist hierarchy last week stripped 71-year-old Pallegama Hemarathana of his responsibilities as chief custodian of one of the faith's most sacred sites, a venerated fig tree grown from a sapling of the very tree believed to have sheltered the....

08/05/2026

Chandrasena is not the first high-profile figure entangled in a corruption investigation to die under circumstances officially ruled as self-inflicted. Ranga Rajapaksha, the Acting Director of the Department of External Resources at the Ministry of Finance, suspended in connection with the alleged cyber theft of US$2.5 million from the Treasury, was found dead behind his home in Kuliyapitiya shortly after giving statements to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on three separate occasions.

When a pattern repeats itself, it stops being a coincidence. It becomes a question of institutional credibility.

Chandrasena is not the first high-profile figure entangled in a corruption investigation to die under circumstances officially ruled as self-inflicted. Ranga Rajapaksha, the Acting Director of the Department of External Resources at the Ministry of Finance, suspended in connection with the alleged c...

01/03/2026

The US–Israeli strikes on Iran represent a calculated 'war of choice' whose consequences are far from predictable. While framed as pre-emptive action, the attack, including the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, has created a volatile power vacuum that could lead to hardline military rule, internal chaos, or prolonged regional instability. Though the operation may have achieved short-term military objectives, history shows regime decapitation rarely delivers lasting peace, and the long-term political, economic, and security fallout could prove far more destabilizing than anticipated

Pre-emption, as a legal and moral concept, demands an imminent and demonstrable threat, not a favourable window. What has unfolded here is something more calculated and considerably more disquieting: the exploitation of ongoing diplomatic negotiations, ostensibly aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear pr...

13/01/2026

Iqbal Athas, a principled voice in Sri Lankan journalism whose decades of reporting shaped public understanding of defence, security, and accountability. His loss is deeply felt across the media community and beyond.

Veteran Sri Lankan journalist and pioneering defence analyst Iqbal Athas passed away Tuesday (13) at the age of 81, drawing tributes from across the media fraternity for a career defined by fearless reporting, international credibility, and an unwavering commitment to public accountability

04/01/2026

The US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro marks a dangerous turning point in global politics. Carried out without UN or congressional approval, the operation raises serious questions about international law, sovereignty, and the erosion of democratic norms. Behind claims of justice and stability lie deeper interests, Venezuela’s vast oil and natural resources, and a troubling precedent where power overrides law. As the UN struggles to respond, the world is left to confront a stark reality: when unilateral force becomes policy, democracy and global order are placed at risk.The US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro marks a dangerous turning point in global politics. Carried out without UN or congressional approval, the operation raises serious questions about international law, sovereignty, and the erosion of democratic norms. Behind claims of justice and stability lie deeper interests, Venezuela’s vast oil and natural resources, and a troubling precedent where power overrides law. As the UN struggles to respond, the world is left to confront a stark reality: when unilateral force becomes policy, democracy and global order are placed at risk.

21/12/2025

In this powerful reflection, former USAID official Mark Ward looks back at how the United States once led global humanitarian responses, most notably after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and contrasts it with today’s silence following Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. As devastation mounts and aid is urgently needed, Ward argues that deep cuts to US foreign assistance have left a void where American leadership once stood, raising urgent questions about the future of humanitarian values, global responsibility, and what the world loses when help becomes transactional.

US foreign policy seems to be purely transactional. It asks, what’s in it for us? That’s bad luck for Sri Lanka — it doesn’t have any natural resources we need, like oil or critical minerals. Garments and tea aren’t strategic enough. But wait — if the Sri Lankan government needs our help...

18/12/2025

As Sri Lanka grapples with loss and recovery, the storm has exposed deep vulnerabilities in how we plan, build, insure, and value property. From shifting buyer priorities and lending risks to the urgent need for climate-resilient planning and stronger regulation, Ditwah may permanently reshape the country’s real estate landscape.

This article explores why rebuilding wisely, not just quickly, is critical, and how the choices made now will define Sri Lanka’s safety, stability, and prosperity for generations to come.

While the immediate humanitarian response must remain the country’s foremost priority, Sri Lanka must also confront Cyclone Ditwah's deeper and longer-term consequences. The cyclone is not merely an environmental disaster; it is a defining moment that will reshape how the nation plans, develops, v...

09/12/2025

Cyclone Ditwah and the hidden burdens on Sri Lanka’s women
https://dailyexpress.lk/commentary/editorials/33688/
Sri Lanka’s path to recovery after Cyclone Ditwah must be more than rebuilding roads and restoring power, it must address the unequal burdens disasters place on women.

Beneath the staggering data released by the UNDP lies another story, one frequently ignored when disasters strike. It is the story of women, the invisible backbone of Sri Lankan households and communities, who bear the heaviest weight in times of crisis, yet remain the least recognized in official r...

03/12/2025

Disaster science tells us that climate change is increasing the intensity of cyclonic storms globally. Sri Lanka now sits on the frontlines of a climate era marked by unpredictability and extremity. This is not the last such storm we will face. It may not even be the strongest. The question, therefo...

17/11/2025

Justice in South Asia is being tested again. Bangladesh faces a landmark verdict while Sri Lanka continues to grapple with its own unresolved cycles of power and accountability. Two neighbours, one urgent question: who will truly answer for past abuses?

A Bangladesh court on Monday (17) sentenced ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity, with cheers breaking out in the packed court as the judge read out the verdict