Dear Vimalathasan Anna
I don’t have any kind of greedy idea that you will get this letter. And yet, I cannot leave off from writing this letter to you. The mind flutters like the…
Colombo
Incubating, Again
Half a century ago, it was higher education, saving universities from Tamil encroachment. Today it is Buddhist heritage, saving archaeological sites in the North and the East from Tamil encroachment. Tomorrow another…
A Child’s Trauma Revealed Years Later
Pradeep The timing could not have been more disastrous. Shirani and the children were in Colombo when the riots broke out in July 1983. Arvind was three and Arjun was one year…
Living in Fear 40 Years On
When I confronted my Sinhala neighbour in my broken Sinhala over a certain issue recently, My Tamil neighbour pleaded, “Maureen we are Tamils, we can be in trouble”. I was shocked to…
Rebirth and Memory Black July, 40 Years Later
It is painful to read how Sri Lankan government ministers rallied their goondas to fan out in neighborhoods looking for Tamil homes marked on voter lists. It is painful to…
Anti-Tamil Pogrom of July 83: Root Causes Unaddressed Even After 40 Years
Editor’s note: July 23, 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the July 83 anti-Tamil pogrom, which has left an indelible mark on Sri Lanka’s history. This dark chapter overshadowed the nation’s post-independence…
Chandraguptha Thenuwara’s Three Exhibitions to Mark 40 Years of Black July
Since 1997, barring 2005, artist, sculptor, teacher and activist Professor Chandraguptha Thenuwara has been commemorating the horrific events of July 1983 in a series of exhibitions designed to make sure that people…
Major Political Party Leaders More Unpopular Than Ever
In the latest Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) polling, the net favourability ratings of all major party leaders fell significantly in June from their May ratings. NPP/JVP leader A.K. Dissanayake’s rating…
Government’s Feeble Response to UN Human Rights Review
Numerous ways in which human rights failings harming Sri Lankans should be set right were flagged up on July 10 by the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). This was part of…
Lack of Political Will Prevents Reconciliation and Ensuring Justice for Past Wrongs
As the government proposes yet another authority, the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), to deal with the process of healing the country, human rights activists are questioning the motives behind the…
Healing a Mentally Ill Nation
It is tragic fact that Sri Lanka is a mentally ill nation. Despite its stunning physical beauty, delicious food and rich history, the country has unaddressed trauma leading to violence, aggression, child…
Formulating Equal and Fair Laws on Divorce Biggest Barrier to MMDA Reform
Unequal types and processes for divorce constitute one of the most problematic aspects of the current Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) 1951 of Sri Lanka. In June 2021, a government appointed…
Online Child Abuse: A Lack of Laws or a Lack of Implementation?
The advent of the internet and Information Communication Technology (ICT) has opened up ways for children and young people worldwide to gain self-learning and social development opportunities. A study published by UNICEF…
Anti Corruption Bill Nets Small Fish While Sharks Swim Free
The much awaited Anti Corruption Bill is out and passed by parliament subject to introducing amendments according to the determination of the Supreme Court. It is “An Act to give effect to…
A Story of Healing, Resilience and Reconciliation
When the Easter Sunday bomb attacks brought tears to the world I, too, cried in Toronto for myself saying, “I am not safe here”. The images of Easter bombings brought memories of…