Will the Tamils Lose the Plot Again?
Photo courtesy Chaos and Fear Much has happened in the space of three months. Soon after the Eastern Provincial Council election came the (Heroes’ Day) incidents in Jaffna. It would seem…
Colombo
Re-imagine Development: Where Nobody Gets Left Behind
Cartoon by W R Wijesoma – Development that leaves some behind Paul Hermann Müller (1899 – 1965) was a Swiss chemist. He won the 1948 Nobel Prize in physiology (medicine) for his…
On the felling of trees
Photo courtesy Dushiyanthini “The trees being cut-down on Reid Avenue are the perfect example of the kind of ‘development’ that Colombo, and some other parts of Sri Lanka, are now facing.” (http://groundviews.org/2012/12/03/the-felling-of-a-tree/) …
The Felling of a Tree
Photo courtesy Dushiyanthini When I heard that the large, beautiful trees that pave Reid Avenue in Colombo were being felled, my heart broke. I was so stirred inside – and it was…
A-Z of Sri Lankan English: W is for will and would
Will and would have a habit of changing places in Sri Lankan English. Sometimes (“I knew the car will be there”), and sometimes it’s the other way round (“We would inform you…
The ICG Report on Tamil Politics and the Quest for a Political Solution: The Blind Spot
Image courtesy ICG Facebook page The recently released report “Sri Lanka: Tamil Politics and the Quest for a Political Solution” by the International Crisis Group [ICG] is a timely contribution to the…
Destiny of a Weerawansa referendum (Abolishing the 13th Amendment)
Photo courtesy Business Today Minister Wimal Weerawansa, nicknamed as the ‘, during the 2010 presidential election campaign, came up with a rather serious proposal some two months back: To have a referendum…
Mihin Lanka: Not yours to fly
In response to a news report over the truly staggering losses incurred by Mihin Lanka, we tweeted, Essential reading for mind-boggling figures of Mihin losses | http://t.co/Xrgc9pGi @anushwij @cepaSL @TalkEconomicsSL #lka #srilanka…
The Clash of Identities in Post-War Sri Lanka
My perspective is the one of a 25 year old who was born in Sri Lanka during the war and who came to France at the age of 1; one who is…
Unearthed: Architecture, text, theatre and dance
brings together a cast of theatre and movement practitioners to create a site-specific performance. To unpack the production, and flesh out how it came about, sat down with Ruhanie Perera, the Artistic Director of…
Black, Brown, and White Voters Could Think Alike: A Quest for a New Social Contract!
Photo by Carolyn Kaster/AP, courtesy Christian Science Monitor Implicit in Mitt Romney’s claim that President Obama won the election with “gifts” to people of color, women, and youth is the idea that…
Beyond Words: The Arts and Accountability in Sri Lanka
), Directed by Srinath Samarasinghe, courtesy Dubai International Film Festival As any species, we have longevity. The human race is at its peak. In two centuries, we have evolved so far, for…
Whose beaches in Sri Lanka?
Photo by AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, via Sulekha During the last week of October this year, the BBC Sinhala Sandeshaya service featured a story about Sri Lankan tourism, which was in turn aired…
The Struggles of Identity in Sri Lanka
Images courtesy Multicultural Arts Victoria My presentation will be an attempt to critically analyse my experience as a Franco-Sri Lankan in Sri Lanka and how I feel, as part of Sri Lanka’s…
Can art still take up a social function?: Two examples from Sri Lanka in the context of post-conflict reconciliation
Decorated Kitchen Knifes, Sculpture and Canvas Installation, Jagath Weerasinghe, courtesy Mediated by Saskia Fernando Gallery Speaking about the capacity that art may have to contribute to a social achievement like building sustainable…
