A word from an academic to the new Government
Let me first congratulate President Mr. Maithripala Sirisena and the elections commissioner Mr. Mahinda Deshapriya for bringing such an honor to Sri Lanka from across the Globe for the high standard of…
Author: Thrishantha Nanayakkara
The change we need
Photo courtesy Al Jazeera I just returned from a two-week stay in Sri Lanka with a mix of very different experiences. Since I have never done a proper meditation retreat in Sri…
Some Civil Society Questions for Bodu Bala Sena (BBS)
Photo by Dinouk Colombage, Al Jazeera The Facebook (FB) group called “Buddhists Questioning Bodu Bala Sena (BQBBS)” once compiled a list of questions for BBS through a lengthy consultation period with its…
Lifting the veil to reconciliation
‘A Memory of War’ by Vidu Gunaratna When Sri Lanka’s legendary bowler Muttiah Muralitharan was repeatedly accused of chucking by an Australian umpire, captain Arjuna Ranatunge protested by walking out with his…
Any lessons learnt from Navi Pillay’s visit?
Reading what appeared on state media, I got the impression that the ego of the Government, or at least that of the so called “independent” editors of state media has been challenged…
Lay community, Buddhism, and the role of virtuous monks in Sri Lanka
Image courtesy chosinhvien.info I threw the pot containing my father’s ash to the sea and watched how it drifted away in the current. I had already made up my mind. He was 81…
Gotabaya Rajapaksa and National Security: The Kotelawala Defence University lecture
Photo courtesy As a citizen of Sri Lanka, naturally I was keen to know what the country’s secretary of defense thinks about the current security situation and the military history of Sri…
Use Vesak decorations to reflect upon Dhamma
Lord Buddha gave different meditation objects to different people. For some, just focusing on rubbing two pieces of material against each other worked, and for some others focusing on the breath worked.…
Gotabaya Rajapaksa: Are you listening?
Image from Lanka Standard After nearly 7 years of postgraduate education and independent research experience abroad, I returned to Sri Lanka in mid 2003, to work in my mother country Sri Lanka…
A brief note on Buddhism, Ethnicity, and Peace
A walk through the archeological and artistic ruins in the North central province is not complete without a stop by the Sandakada pahana (the moonstone) that gives an artistic depiction of the…
Pillars of deception a future leader from the opposition may want to address
Image from AsiaNews.It I enjoyed reading several articles written by Dayan Jayatilleka and Laksiri Fernando, on the future form of a democratic struggle launched by the people of Sri Lanka, to rise…
In memory of Ray Wijewardana
Image courtesy One day in year 2005, Ray visited the University of Moratuwa as the chancellor. I think it was an official meeting to organize an innovations exhibition showcasing the work done…
Reconciliation – What is the Big Deal?
It looks like the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Committee (LLRC) took their job far more seriously than expected. Some stake holders in the Government who insisted that it is fully worth spending…
A Petition to President Barack Obama
The breaking news that JR Jayawardana had won the 1977 general election by a 5/6 majority is one of my vivid childhood memories. Perhaps, the fact that my father was an ardent…