The Lalith Weeratunga Presentation
Image courtesy ITU video Though I cannot say the same of his companions on the voyage, my friend Lalith Weeratunga embodies a rare combination of intelligence, ability, affability and civility. He made…
Year: 2014
Religion and Politics in South Asia
Photo courtesy London Cosmopolitan Let me that I have to thank my friends and colleagues who discussed and challenged me throughout the process of preparing this presentation. They may not be satisfied…
Inter-Religious Harmony through the Convergence of Light: An Epiphany Reflection
Religion and politics-expedient tensions The continuing violence against minority religions is unacceptable and must stop. The most recent incidents against two vulnerable Christian communities in Hikkaduwa, currently receiving wide video coverage, contradicts…
Jagath Weerasinghe’s Hiding
It never ceases to amaze me that our cultural critics – and I refer exclusively to those writing in English – do not address our art. You meet them at exhibitions, where…
Sovereignty – Is it a Defence to cover up?
Introduction The term sovereignty is frequently confronted with hostile claims. Human Right and Anti Corruption Movements are often challenged by various groups with different notions and ideologies on sovereignty. The purpose of…
A failed test match and lost identity
Photo courtesy AFP/ISHARA S. KODIKARA At the post match conference after the third test against Pakistan, the captain of Sri Lanka said that his team lost; not because they were too negative…
Letter to the President from Bradman Weerakoon
This is part of an exercise where Fulbright Scholars were requested to write a letter, for their 60th Anniversary, to the President referring to what they learned through their exposure to the…
Meetings across acrylic, canvas and dance: India-Sri Lanka Artists Week
I spent some time with 12 visual artists and 1 dancer, from Sri Lanka and India, at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo today, who are part of an interesting and pioneering…
Pricing and availability of ‘Short & Sweet’: An anthology of Sri Lankan hint fiction
The launch of , Sri Lanka’s first hint fiction anthology, will take place exactly a week hence in Colombo. Details of the book as well as the venue for the launch can…
Archiving a country’s records: In conversation with Dr. Saroja Wettasinghe
Dr. Saroja Wettasinghe is the Director of Sri Lanka’s National Archives. We begin our conversation by going into what she actually does, day to day, at the National Archives, and what as an…
The evolution of the Sinhala typeface: In conversation with Sumanthri Samarawickrama Jayaweera
Sumanthri Samarawickrama Jayaweera is a Lecturer at the University of Moratuwa. Sumanthri was part of a panel discussion at the presentation of Visual Diversity in Sri Lanka, a book on design, at…
Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka: 2006-2013
Introduction According to Article 7, paragraph 2(i) of the Rome Statute[1], an Enforced disappearance is defined as “…the arrest, detention or abduction of persons by, or with the authorization, support or acquiescence of,…
Medical Administration and Relief within the Vanni Pocket, January to mid-May 2009
Image from author’s blog Beyond Imagination in Service to Humankind: Medical Administration and Relief within the Vanni Pocket, January to mid-May 2009 Amidst the obfuscations and cumulus clouds of propaganda that have…
Restorative Justice and the Youth Court System
Image from WS Police The idea that an offender of the law ought to be judged by a court of their peers is the idea which defines “Youth Court” a legal body…
Child abuse at the Vavuniya children’s home: The government’s inaction
In October 2013 Kalyana Tissa Thero of the Seth Sevana Lama Nivasa of Attambagaskanda, Vavuniya was arrested for sexually abusing a 9 year old child. The Buddhist monk was kept in remand…
