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A postscript on the Easter bomb attacks in Sri Lanka.

The Easter Sunday bomb attacks exposed the defects and shortcomings of Sri Lanka’s security establishment.A series of coordinated bombings on that day rocked Sri Lanka, killing at least 257 people and wounding 500 others. The attacks, carried out by two Muslim extremist groups were the deadliest the island has witnessed since the end of its civil war 10 years ago. The attacks targeted three churches as well as four hotels in the Western Province.

Since 2009, Sri Lanka enjoyed a negative peace. Having ended a war that lasted close to 30 years, the bomb blasts evidently caught people by surprise. The prospect of encountering terrorism of this nature appears to have not been registered even within the security establishment of Sri Lanka. Security experts, since 2009 in particular, have focussed on the maritime security aspect of Sri Lanka’s security and as a consequence failed to notice the emergence of internal security threats. Lately, public criticism has been directed at the political…
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Trends in Asian Journalism: Moving Towards a Digital Era.

Introduction Due to the increase in technological advancements worldwide, access to information has also increased dramatically. Details of a particular event can reach a large audience instantaneously. These changes are due to the ever increasing access to the internet and availability of smartphones; resulting in more individuals having access to information through blogs and social media platforms. This article will compare “traditional media” with “New Media” and examine why new media has become an increasingly popular source of information. Along with the advantages of new media, the article will explore the negative effects of new media in society and how civil society organizations can mitigate them whilst using new media to create a more positive impact in Asian societies.
“New Media”: the new player in Asian Journalism. New media mainly refers to “computer-enabled media” such as blog sites, instant messaging applications and social media platforms.1 In Asia, the use of new media…
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Reconciliation through sports diplomacy: An overview of the 1995 Rugby World Cup

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was an anti-apartheid political revolutionary who served as the President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country’s first black President and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. This article discusses the trials and tribulations of the South African President and how sports diplomacy played a significant part in the country’s efforts at nation-building.
Mandela decided to get involved in anti-colonial and African nationalist politics after South Africa’s National Party’s white-only government established a system of racial segregation that privileged the white community in the country. As a result of his political activities, he was arrested and imprisoned on several occasions (Nelson Mandela Foundation, n.d.). Having served 27 years of life in various prisons, Mandela was freed by President F.W de Klerk in 1990 owing to growing domestic and international pressure. Mandela and de Klerk jointly led efforts to negotiat…
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The Crisis in Central America: Simplified

Many who follow U.S politics are aware of President’s Trump’s desire to establish a wall on the southern border. The U.S government viewsthis as one of the best ways to discourage illegal migrants from entering U.S territory. Why are Central Americans making the trek through challenging terrain to reach the United States? Does the ground situation in these Central American countries have anything to do with this migration?
In this piece, we will look into 3 Central American states, referred to by some scholars as the Northern Triangle of Central America(NTCA). Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala which fall into this category have, in recent years, seen waves of migration to the United States. What motivated these people to abandon their traditional lands and possessions and journey to the United States?


Recent reportssuggest that the number of people from the NTCA who have sought refuge in surrounding countries have increased by 2249 percent from 2011 to 2016. Such levels of migratio…
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Niche Diplomacy: the other side of the coin

“Wars begin when diplomacy ends”, the famous quote by Adolf Hitler, has always been a forceful reminder of the imperative importance of diplomacy as a strategy in the world arena. The importance of diplomacy as a war deterrent is of significant importance in the modern geopolitical arena. In the modern nuclearized world, war is not an option.As it was stated in the Einstein-Russell manifesto, “what assurance do we have that agreements made in times of peace, would be honored during times of war”. Furthermore recent developments in the international stage have showcased the importance of diplomatic dialogue in maintaining the stability of a region, before conflict followed by ensuing turmoil erupts.
Thus, these few points alone showcase the importance of diplomacy. Niche Diplomacy is a form of strategy which comes under the category of soft power. Soft power as opposed to the hard power of military and economic strength, moves to resolve issues through the application of tact, strategy,…
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