Browsing by Author "Gunasekara, S.N."

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Effects of declaration and recognition of new states: South Asian context
(University of Kelaniya, 2008) Gunasekara, S.N.
Foreign policy making in multicultural societies
(University of Kelaniya, 2008) Gunasekara, S.N.
Foreign policy determines the external behavior of a state. The debate over multiculturalism and the democratic conduct of foreign policy is a matter that should bring systematically together. Complexities and diversity in social composition should revise significantly the understanding of the balance between the efficiency and accountability in foreign policy making. These factors are crucial as foreign policy is the key determinant of external relationships. Ethnicity and diversity of population build the core -values of the policy formulation. The need of protecting the interest of the society as a whole without either scapegoating an internal minority or giving it special privileges. The paper discusses four aspects in policy formulation whether multiculturalism allows certain domestic groups to have privileged influence on foreign policy, the possibility of incoherence in foreign policy making, the danger of domestic cleavages leading to serious social tension and risk of domestic terrorism. Secondary and primary data through interviews, expert views and literature surveys were used. This study concludes that multiculturalism as an important element in determining foreign policy in Sri Lanka
Maritime security issues between India and Sri Lanka: a study of strategic cooperation in selected cases
(2014) Gunasekara, S.N.
National Security and Human Rights
(University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom, 2007) Gunasekara, S.N.; Pilapitiya, H.P.I.U.; Suraweera, N.; Ramanayake, A.R.N.D.; Shanaz, F.
Post Tsunami Activities: Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and their Impact on Sri Lankan society
(University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom, 2007) Gunasekara, S.N.; Pilapitiya, H.P.I.U.; Suraweera, N.; Ramanayake, A.R.N.D.
Protection for Sri Lankan Female Domestic Workers to Middle East (Special Reference to Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment)
(University of Kelaniya, 2007) Gunasekara, S.N.
Migration between nations is a phenomenon with a long history. Increased participation of females as domestic workers is a significant change in the labour market in the Middle East. With this new trend Sri Lankan women have become both home makers and breadwinner. Remittances are used as a key strategy for poverty reduction. Earnings of female migrants which is the second largest source of external revenue after garment industry have contributed towards enhancement ofthe balance ofthe payment of the country. Further in 2005, female domestic workers in the Middle East sent home 108, 900 million rupee out of total private remittances of 191,800 In such a context, number of deaths and violation of human rights in the host country and difficulties in the migration process from the beginning of the foreign employment to its premature or mature completion is a frequent subject of debate. Furthermore it's a commonly observed that hired domestic women under kafala or sponsorship system are extremely vulnerable to exploitation and abusive conditions. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families were adopted by the United Nations in order to bind the states with international law. Thus the objective of the study is to examine the policy implications that contribute in protecting women migrants especially through the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment. The methodology of the study is composed of both qualitative and quantitative methods. In addition the survey applied stratified random sampling method in selecting the sample that comprised a group of migrated and prospective migrant women. Most of the migrant women are dissatisfied with the role of the initiatives taken by the responsible institutions and they don't have adequate knowledge of protection extended by international organizations. The paper concludes that the protection given by national and international level is not adequate and should be strengthened more urgently.
Role of Cancer antigen 15.3 in the pre-operative assessment of primary breast cancer
(Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Peiris, H.H.; Mudduwa, L.K.B.; Wijeratne, W.M.D.G.B.; Liyanage, T.G.; Liyanage, N.C.; Gunasekara, S.N.; Kaushalya, M.H.A.
BACKGROUND: Cancer antigen (CA) 15.3 is the most commonly used tumour marker in predicting recurrence of breast cancer. The role of pre-operative CA 15.3 in the assessment of breast cancer has not been substantiated yet. OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of CA 15.3 in the pre-operative assessment of breast cancer patients METHODS: All patients who were diagnosed of primary breast cancer and underwent surgery at a tertiary-care hospital from April 2014 to October 2015 were enrolled. Serum level of CA 15.3 was assessed on a pre-operative blood sample by ELISA and ≥30 U/ml was considered as the cut off as defined by the manufacturer’s literature. The association of CA 15.3 levels with the clinico-pathological parameters was analyzed with chi-square test. RESULTS: Of the 150 patients (mean age 56.83 [SD=13.39] years) enrolled, majority (85.6%) had grade 2/3 tumours with lymph node metastasis (58.2%) at the time of presentation. None had distant metastasis. Elevated pre-operative serum level of CA 15.3 was detected in 34% of patients who had more estrogen receptor negative(43.13%), progesterone receptor negative (50.98%) and triple negative(29.1%) tumours compared to those without elevated pre-operative CA 15.3 (p=0.017,0.036 and 0.001 respectively). There was no association with other clinico-pathological features. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-operative serum level of CA15.3 is elevated only in one third of breast cancer patients. Elevated pre-operative CA 15.3 has a prognostic value as it is elevated mostly in the hormone receptor negative and triple negative breast cancers predicting a poor prognosis.
Small states in International Relations Theory: theory and practice
(Culture, Globalization and the Developing World, 2nd ICSS, 2013) Gunasekara, S.N.
International Relations Theory has largely ignored the security preserving options of small states while emphasizing the strategies and actions employed by great powers. They have little to say about small states. According many theoretical schools of thought, the best options available for small states to preserve their security are ; balance or bandwagon among great powers in the international system, serve as ?buffer states? between great powers or take the advantage of being in a global level forum/organizations. The main goals of the present study are to analyse the small state behavior thorough the lenses of Realism, Liberalism, Rationalism and Constructivism which provide a considerable insight into small states, their diplomacy and related foreign policy strategies and make an attempt to identify elements of International Relations Theory that can help integrating small states in the discipline?s theoretical body. Different practical approaches and behavior patterns of small states are identified within the context of Cold war. The study points out that the concept of small is a situational concept in relation to the particular issues at stake. Realism and Rationalism are the best approaches to explain the behavior of small states yet they do not offer a direct and comprehensive analytical perspective on small states and their behavior in international relations.
State responsibility over SethuSamudram Ship Canal Project: Indo-Sri Lanka Context
(University of Kelaniya, 2012) Gunasekara, S.N.
The SethuSamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) under consideration of the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India, envisages creation of a canal through dredging/excavation in Adams Bridge and parts of Palk Bay. The project has potential to affect the principle of sovereignty which cannot be exercised by India in isolation because activities of it often bear upon those of others. No measures are being proposed to prevent or reduce the potential impact on Sri Lanka’s environment and shipping. The main objectives of the study are to analyse future threats and challenges posed by the SSCP by using Barry Buzan’s dimension analysis and relevant international law obligations, understand level of co-operation between India and Sri Lanka in terms of SSCP and propose a strategy to improve inter-state cooperation by using SWOT analysis. The study reveals the construction is environmentally, economically, politically and societally harmful to Sri Lanka and the construction violates the principle of territorial sovereignty and causes transboundary environment damage. Some cooperative measures and initiatives have been already proposed by Sri Lanka but such activities are not part of formal plans, policies, processes or programs that would enable the capacity to exit on a reliable and reproducible basis. Therefore, the level of cooperation is “nominal” over the SSCP. Finally the study recommends Negative Control Strategy, which is based on the joint action of strengths (S) and Opportunities (O) in decreasing Weaknesses (W) and Threats (T), therefore abating overall negatives.