What does it mean to be Sri Lankan?
70 years after independence, our identity is defined mostly along majoritarian lines, which can be traced back to the divisions created under British rule. These divisions have contributed to violence and war, in the years since 1948.
To this day, there are communities who feel that what is commonly projected and defined as the Sri Lankan identity does not reflect their reality, or themselves.
Looking at this, Groundviews produced a series of videos exploring identity and belonging in a country emerging from war, but not yet out of conflict.
Sriyal Nilanka leads communications and advocacy at EQUAL GROUND. He addresses the legal barriers that lead to persecution of LGBTIQ persons and the need for wider acceptance of the community across the island.
Editor’s Note: To view the next video in the series, click here. Click here to go to the previous video, and here for more content around Sri Lanka’s 70th Independence Day.