Features

Spectre of world hunger acquires greater visibility

Published

6 years ago

2021/01/7

Hunger has been the taboo subject for local and international political and social elites over the decades. Fortunately, though, there are sections of influential opinion that occasionally broach the subject, thereby keeping it alive to some extent.

World hunger was in the news once again recently when the governments of Canada, Bangladesh and Japan virtually launched what was termed the ‘Nutrition for Growth Year of Action’. A news feature published in this newspaper titled ‘Addressing the hunger and nutrition crisis’ on December 31, 2020, on page 6 provided detailed information on the international project. Among other things, the feature article announced a year-long effort ‘to address a global hunger and nutrition crisis that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic’.

The key word in this extract is ‘exacerbated’. To be sure, the pandemic has triggered a plethora of worries for the world, but hunger and deprivation has stubbornly persisted over the decades though progressively less spoken of by governments and those who matter in this connection. The silence has been so palpable that the unsuspecting among us are likely to run away with the impression that global hunger is no more as a result of the problem having been dealt with effectively.

However, the article in question makes no bones of the fact that the spectre of global hunger is very much alive and well. It adds: ‘Hunger is on the rise and poor diets are now the leading risk factor of death world wide – responsible for one in every five deaths globally, more than tobacco, high blood pressure, or any other health risk.’ This is ‘food for thought’ indeed but a question that needs to be asked by discerning readers is why the problem of hunger has been kept under wraps as it were, considering the foregoing disclosures in particular. It’s this conspiracy of silence that the public spirited everywhere should find most intriguing.

There is no denying that the UN system, for one, has been keeping the issue of world hunger in focus and been engaged in efforts aimed at eradicating or alleviating the problem. But the blight persists and one is compelled to conclude that the diagnoses of the malaise and the attendant prescriptive remedies do not go far enough to enable a substantial dent to be made in the nagging and now silent crisis. But it would be unfair to single out only the UN as an actor who falls short of expectations in this connection. Besides other international quarters, there are the governments the world over who have a lot of explaining to do. Governments are prone to pay lip service to aiding the poor but the indications are that these efforts are far from effective. Hunger is not only persisting but proving to be foremost among killers.

It is to that seminal study of the seventies, ‘How the Other Half Dies’ by Susan George (Penguin Books) that one must return to in order to understand some of the true causes of world hunger. This columnist believes that most subsequent studies on global hunger are nothing but foot notes to George’s findings. A question posed by George that goes to the heart of the matter is: Who gets ‘a cut’ on hunger. The answer to this question unravels the reasons for the persistence and flourishing of poverty and hunger.

A revelation made by George by garnering the necessary historical evidence is that even in times of the most devastating of famines in modern times the ruling strata of the relevant countries were ‘living it up’. They continued to indulge in their eating and drinking orgies in their palaces and high places while the mass of the population outside withered and died of hunger and disease. So, there were bastions of plenty and over-indulgent living amid seas of poverty and deprivation. Likewise, in contemporary times the ruling classes anywhere never go hungry. The reason is because these classes always appropriate unto themselves the lion’s share of a country’s wealth and adamantly retain it at whatever cost.

George is emphatic on the point that hunger and food scarcity is always man-made. Essentially, those sections commanding the means and the power create acute food shortages in times of economic strain by hoarding and stacking-up the relevant resources with the aim of making their prices soar. Thus do these parasitical groups ‘make a killing’ while the majority of their populations starve. With a few variations this pattern of exploitive behaviour manifests itself time and again.

Depending on one’s political convictions and values these disclosures could be seen as ‘sensitive’, controversial or otherwise. But in scientific analyses of socio-political phenomena the notion of ‘political correctness’ has no validity. Only the categories of truth and falsehood exist and the professional, authentic scientist recognizes only them as valid.

Accordingly, the issue of hunger should be seen as intimately and integrally connected to re-distributive justice. Wherever the latter exists hunger and starvation cannot exist on a ‘Biblical’ scale as it were. If governments act sincerely in the furtherance of re-distributive justice and social fairness, the chances of food scarcities and hunger going unaddressed are few. Thus, governmental intervention in these crises for the promotion of social and economic equality is of the first importance.

From the foregoing it could be seen that much will hinge on the ideological orientation of governments. It is only those governments that support re-distributive justice that could help out in the alleviation of hunger and poverty. That is, centre-left governments. Socio-economic equality stands less of a chance of being served by rightist governments that are essentially supportive of class stratifications based on wealth differences.

However, since the early nineties the centre-left cause or socialism has come to be steadily upstaged by political rightism with market economics being almost unreservedly endorsed by governments the world over. Consequently, socio-economic justice has not merited the attention it deserves by governments, resulting in deprivation and hunger going largely unaddressed. But the fact is that hunger and poverty has always been with us. Thanks to parasitic but powerful governments the issue has been virtually forgotten. The pandemic has had the effect of exposing these follies in governance. The international community needs to honestly face-up to the afore outlined roots of socio-economic equality.

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Features

New US sanctions on ICC, a fillip to worldwide political repression

Published

18 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

The International Criminal Court in session. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s warning to the International Criminal Court (ICC) was stark: ‘Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC.’ It followed US central administration accusations that the court was unfairly targeting Americans on the basis of trumped-up war crimes charges.

However, a new plethora of sanctions has been clamped on the ICC by the US, which in turn has spurred accusations by sections of the world that the latter has unleashed an ‘assault’ on the international legal order.

What some of the sanctions would mean for the ICC was outlined by Rubio: ‘We will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling their ability to operate against us.’

The ICC has shown consistency of purpose over the years. Despite some operational constraints it has indicted a large number of political strongmen from around the world, accused of war crimes and other governance excesses that come under its purview. Two such recent figures are: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Rather than enjoy a mere nominal presence in the world community, the ICC has proved its effectiveness by detaining and bringing to justice scores of VIP politicians and others of their ilk who have been found guilty of human rights abuses and kindred excesses that come within the terms of reference of the ICC.

Accordingly, the international justice system would be stymied considerably as a result of the ICC being dis-empowered, particularly financially. Needless to say, potential and real perpetrators of the species of crime coming under the jurisdiction of the ICC would stand to gain most from such anarchic tendencies. That is, political repression globally would be enabled to enjoy a new lease of life.

A detailing of the types of crime coming under the purview of the ICC provides an idea of what it would cost the international community if the ICC’s operations are gravely hampered. They are mainly: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.

That is, the part of the world to be worst affected would be the global South, since the latter is awash with the mentioned crimes. Needless to say, a chronically-disaffected South will sooner rather than later undermine the well being of the world dangerously. The world is already being put through these paces.

At the time of writing, ‘illegal migrants’ from the South, for example, are aggravating many a Western economy’s woes, besides creating for them acute law and order issues. The fact that these migrants’ presence goes on to become a virtual test of the migrant receiving states’ ability to forge domestic social inclusion in the face of jingoistic protests by mainly white supremacist groups is evidence of the latter. As is known, the US, to take just one example, has been up against this crisis for quite a while.

Accordingly, it will be in the best interests of the West if ‘illegal’ migrant arrivals on their shores are stemmed. If the socio-political and economic problems assailing the South are effectively managed through North-South collaborative, ‘trouble-shooting’ efforts the causes leading to ‘illegal’ migration and connected issues could be resolved at source as it were. For, it is the aggravation of the South’s material questions that lays the basis for the emergence of repressive and anti-democratic regimes in the hemisphere.

Until such time that the aforementioned issues in North-South relations are visited afresh and addressed urgently, a vibrantly functioning ICC would be needed. For, the latter would prove a deterrent to Southern political and military strongmen, highly prone to power abuse and like excesses, from coming into being in the wake of the South’s chronic material woes and the wars and conflicts that result from them.

It stands to reason then that the US would be acting in its own interests by enabling the ICC to perpetuate its mandate without hindrance. For a crop of issues that impinges negatively on internal law and order would be defused.

Meanwhile, there needs to be a meeting of minds among the rest of the West to put back in place a North-South dialogue process aimed at reducing some of the economic pressures that are weighing on the South.

Since economics usually drives politics it will be in the interests of the world community to scrutinizingly re-visit North-South issues of the past and put in place economic relief packages for Southern publics that would enable them to tide over their material hardships rather than permit the latter to aggravate into social disaffection and eventually armed militancy. It is the latter juncture that paves the way for the emergence of authoritarian rulers in the South who then go on to be a blight on their publics.

Accordingly, the Southern-based global development thinking of the past that envisaged a more equitable world economic order needs to be seen as an urgent need. That is, NAM’s international development paradigms need to be resuscitated to the extent possible.

It is unlikely that rightist governments of the West, such as the current Republican administration in the US, would find these projects feasible, but democratic states of Europe, led by perhaps the UK, are likely to think otherwise. For it would not be beneficial for the democratic world to be having on their hands repressive governments in the South who would be gravitating towards the major military and economic actors of the South, such as Iran and North Korea, who tend to be in constant power struggles with the West.

However, until such time that the mentioned, pro-people initiatives are given serious thought the ICC would need to be enabled by the international community to be in place comfortably and carry on with its mandate of bringing repressive rulers to book. Besides the ICC should pave the way for the peoples of the developing world to enjoy some substantial respite from the political repression and even terror which tend to be their lot.

Meanwhile, the wars of West Asia are relentlessly aggravating the economic hardships of people everywhere, driving the point home to enlightened sections that there is no alternative to peacemaking. A challenge is to convert the US under President Trump to this line of thinking.

Features

Clear, soft and shine-free skin

Published

18 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

This week, I give you five simple, time-tested homemade remedies that help reduce the appearance of blemishes, control excess shine and leave your skin feeling softer and smoother.

The Honey and Lemon Brightening Dab:

For stubborn blemish marks, this is a classic. Mix one teaspoon of pure bee honey with three to four drops of fresh lemon juice. Apply gently, only on the affected spots, and leave for 10 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water. While honey soothes and softens, lemon helps to brighten naturally. Use twice a week in the evening.

Besan and Rose Water Oil-Control Pack:

An ideal remedy to combat shine, especially on the T-zone. Take two teaspoons of besan (gram flour) and mix with sufficient rose water to form a smooth paste. Add a pinch of turmeric for its antiseptic goodness. Apply evenly, keep for 15 minutes and wash off. It absorbs excess oil without over-drying, leaving a beautiful matte finish.

Aloe Vera and Cucumber Ice Soother:

Blend fresh aloe vera gel with the juice of a grated cucumber and freeze the mixture in an ice tray. Each morning, wrap one cube in a soft muslin cloth and gently rub over a cleansed face for 30 seconds. It calms, tightens pores and imparts a baby-soft smoothness.

Oatmeal and Curd Gentle Polish:

Roughness and old blemish marks need gentle exfoliation. Combine one tablespoon of finely powdered oatmeal with one tablespoon of fresh curd (yoghurt). Massage very gently, in circular motions, for one minute, leave for five minutes and rinse. It removes dead cells and unveils softer, clearer skin.

Multani Mitti and Green Tea Magic Mask:

Brew some green tea and allow it to cool completely. Mix one and a half teaspoons of Multani Mitti (Fuller’s Earth) with the tea water to make a fine paste. Apply for 10 to 12 minutes – do not let it dry and crack completely – and wash off. It draws out impurities, fades blemishes and bestows a fresh, shine-free glow.

A Gentle Reminder:

As with any natural remedy, always do a patch test on your inner arm first. For those with oily or combination skin, avoid heavy coconut oil application and harsh scrubbing, as they tend to aggravate shine and blemishes.

Features

Compete, shine and be discovered at WCOPA 2027

Published

18 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

Dream of performing on a world stage? Well, here is your unique, golden opportunity!

The World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) — the one and only official “Talent Olympics” — is the world’s premier global platform for aspiring singers, dancers, actors, models, instrumentalists, etc., to compete, shine and be discovered!

And, yes, this world stage is open to YOU, Sri Lankans living in Sri Lanka and overseas!

Held annually in glittering Las Vegas, WCOPA brings together over 70 countries, all competing for Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals, just like the traditional Olympics.

Lakisha Bernard: Will represent Team Sri Lanka at WCOPA 2027

Outstanding performers vie for the coveted titles of Junior and Senior Grand Champion Performer of the World, with winners and standout participants awarded over $500,000 in scholarships, cash awards and prizes to catapult their education and careers!

Sri Lanka is already making waves! At WCOPA 2026, Natharie Wickramasinghe, representing Team Sri Lanka, made the nation proud by winning a Bronze Medal in the Ethnic/Folklore Dance category!

Lakisha: Accomplished freelance Model and Fashion Design graduate

Recruitment for this prestigious competition is handled through a system of scouts and licensed National Directors — and this is where our very own Chris Rajendra, now based in Las Vegas, and National Director for Team Sri Lanka, comes into the scene.

If you are a singer, dancer, actor, model, instrumentalist — if you have talent burning inside you — contact Chris Rajendra today for registration and, who knows, you may find yourself in Las Vegas, and proudly draped in the Sri Lankan flag, at WCOPA 2027!

The contact address is: Chris Rajendra, wcopa.nationaldirector.sl@gmail.com

or chris.rajendra@gmail.com

Meanwhile, a star is born for 2027, in the form of Lakisha Bernard who is all set to represent Team Sri Lanka at WCOPA 2027.

Originally hailing from the sun-drenched coastal city of Colombo and now carving out her creative career in Canada, 22-year-old Lakisha is stepping into the international spotlight.

This accomplished freelance Model and Fashion Design graduate has officially been appointed as the Team Sri Lanka Promoter for Canada as she prepares to represent Team Sri Lanka at WCOPA in Las Vegas.

Lakisha brings a unique blend of high-fashion sensibility, captivating camera presence and expert garment design to the Team.

Having built her career, from local college shoots to high-glamour concepts, Lakisha’s inspiring journey embodies the true spirit of cultural bridge-building and creative resilience, bringing immense pride and recognition to Sri Lanka on the global stage.

WCOPA 2027 will be held at the legendary Westgate Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, from 12th to 20th July – the very same iconic arena where the late, great Elvis Presley himself performed!

Your moment is now. Your stage is Las Vegas, so hurry and contact Chris Rajendra.