Can art transform conflict?
Does art have a role in reconciliation? Does it help in healing trauma? Can the creative power of arts be used as a catalyst for action – especially among those who have…
Author: Groundviews
Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe’s resignation: The Fallout
Last week, on October 12, President Maithripala Sirisena lashed out at independent commissions, in a speech that drew condemnation from many quarters. This week, the Director General of the Commission to Investigate…
INFOGRAPHIC: Paying the price for past extravagance
This week, it was announced that Sri Lanka would be paying as much as USD 170 million (Rs. 25 billion) to aircraft leasing company AerCap Holdings, in order to cancel the purchase of…
RTI: a Reality Check
Featured image courtesy Tasman Council September 28 is the global Right to Information Day – a day of added significance to Sri Lankans this year since the country passed its own Right to…
Policy vs Politics: Global Sri Lankan Forum’s telling myopia
The Sri Lanka Foundation Institute was largely empty as the Global Sri Lankan Forum, (a group in favour of the unitary state system of governance) convened for a seminar on ‘The Geneva…
Mixed feelings one year on
One year ago, on August 18, a new Parliament was elected on an ambitious premise of good governance. The public voted for change, and for an ambitious overhaul of the status quo….
Different yet Equal: On effectively battling hatred
The corner of Bauddhaloka mawatha near Independence Arcade was relatively quiet at 4:30 pm, apart from a small group holding white umbrellas. These were participants of “Different Yet Equal” an online-led campaign…
The Process Behind OMP: Video interviews
The Office of Missing Persons (OMP) Bill was passed in Parliament without a vote, a short while ago. The setting up of the OMP was subject to much mainstream media coverage, most of…
Interim Report: Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms
Photo courtesy CTF Access the complete report here or read it embedded below. Access the Executive Summary as a PDF here. Access the concluding observations of the CTF as a PDF here….
INFOGRAPHIC: Opportunity Costs – What Rs. 1 Billion Can Buy
On June 7, a supplementary estimate was submitted to Parliament for the import of luxury vehicles for Ministers and their deputies. Rs. 1.17 billion was sought, with several, including Joint Cabinet Spokesmen…
Submissions to Consultation Task Force on missing, disappeared and MIA
Photo courtesy CTF Several submissions made on 5 July 2016 to the Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms (CTF) were sent to . The submissions were part of a sectoral consultation with…
Submission to Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms
Photo Amantha Perera/IRIN @groundviews making a submission before CTF at today's consultation with media orgs #srilanka #lka #pubconsl pic.twitter.com/MKhkfMzhre — (Former) CTF on Reconciliation Mechanisms (@ctfsl) June 28, 2016 , were invited…
A Broken System: Sri Lanka’s ongoing battle against torture
June 26 marks the International Day in support of Victims of Torture. Several recent reports have flagged that torture is a frequent and ongoing phenomenon among the police and military, even today,…
Sampur in the Spotlight after Indian RTI Request
Featured image courtesy TamilGuardian The Sampur power plant project has come under further scrutiny, following a project synopsis released by the Public Information Officer of NTPC Ltd, India’s largest energy conglomerate. Among other…
Information and Power: The Evolution of RTI
Inside India’s Central Information Commission, Professor M Sridhar Acharyulu is hearing a case on illegal occupation. The applicant wants to know if the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, (RCS) which deals with housing,…