Saying what I want, when I want…
Five years have gone by since my entrance to the western hemisphere. Earlier inroads were always temporary; this time around it was reason to obtain citizenship. Which is done and dusted, the…
Year: 2010
Ramblings of an outsider in Jaffna – 1
I’ve moved to Jaffna on work. Everyone I know seems to think I’ve done something great and inspiring, to have moved here to help people. Firstly, I don’t think I’m better than…
The Muslim question and resettlement of Muslim IDPs in post-war Sri Lanka: Two comprehensive interviews
The question of Muslim identity, displacement and forcible evictions during war and their enduring socio-political impact in post-war Sri Lanka is often underplayed in the media and mainstream politics. Muslim IDPs in…
The TNA manifesto and Tamil self-determination in Sri Lanka
Here we go again, or should I say here they come again, or is it here they go again? In an opening scene in the movie 300, based on Frank Miller’s freely…
Post-war Sri Lanka: A conversation with Shanthi Sachithananthan
Shanthi Sachithananthan, the Chairperson of Viluthu has been featured on during the war. This interview, conducted late 2009 after war’s end, considers significant developments over the course of the year including the…
Online journalism is the way forward, but tell this to Sri Lankan media companies
GROSS PLAGIARISM BY NIBRAS BAWA, AUTHOR OF THIS POST A sharp reader alerted that this article contains plagiarised content. Upon further inspection, we discovered that entire portions of the article have been…
Strengthening democracy in Sri Lanka: An open invitation to generate fresh ideas
How can we strengthen democracy in Sri Lanka? From blue sky thinking to tried and tested ideas at the grassroots that need to scale up or be better recognised and supported, invites…
War crimes and human rights in Sri Lanka: A home grown solution
The Sri Lankan discourse on war crimes, violations of international humanitarian law and human rights in general, divide into two camps, both of which demonise the other. One holds that the entire…
The Commissioner of Elections: A close friend’s critique
One evening we boisterously debated on the conduct of the last Presidential Elections. Some blamed the President and supporters, some Ranil Wickremesinghe / Sarath Fonseka and supporters, R. Samapanthan and Somawansa Ameresinghe…
Interview with Justice C.G. Weeramantry
Justice C.G. Weeramantry was bestowed , the highest National Honour of Sri Lanka in 2007. Justice Weeramantry also won the UNESCO Peace Education Prize in 2006 and the Right Livelihood Award in…
Seeing it comin’: Reforming the Sri Lankan State
– ‘Falling & Flyin’, Jeff Bridges in ‘Crazy Heart’ Seeing it comin’: Will the Tamils silently celebrate and the Sinhalese secretly curse the day that Prabhakaran died? With his secessionist fundamentalism and…
Death of a Green Activist: Tribute to Piyal Parakrama (1960 – 2010)
Piyal Parakrama’s smile was regular and genuine, but it could be also be a bit misleading. Those who engaged him found that there was a keen mind, passionate heart and a sharp…
The Slide in Sri Lanka
The 24th of February marked the first month anniversary of the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda, the Lanka E-News journalist. Two special Police teams are said to be on the case. They have…
Interview with Arvind Kejriwal: No democracy without right to information
Arvind Kejriwal is one of India’s foremost champions of the Right to Information. Awarded the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership in 2006, Arvind has won a number of awards for his…
Interview with Manik de Silva, Editor of the Sunday Island
Manik de Silva is the most senior and longest-serving Editor of an English newspaper in Sri Lanka. Presently the Editor of the . In July 2009, he was elected as the President…