From the Ashes, a New Generation Dares to Transform Their Nations
Prashan De Visser opens his maiden book with a stark question: “Does the state of the world overwhelm you and a better world seem improbable?” He then reflects on what seems to…
Colombo
The Smell of Terror
In Sri Lanka terror means Tamil or Muslim. When the J.R. Jayewardene government responded to the ethnic problem not with the promised political reforms but with repression and the PTA was born,…
Making the IMF Work for Sri Lankans: Part 2
March 20, when the IMF Board approved an Extended Fund Facility for Sri Lanka, now seems a long time ago. For many people this felt like a major step toward the resolution…
Remembering the Easter Sunday Attacks Four Years Later
There are many things that I remember today, April 21, 2023 in relation to Easter Sunday attacks four years ago. Images of damage to the churches and hotels is among the vivid images…
Disappearing Music Traditions of Muslims
In a brilliant and much needed documentary directed by Nadya Perera, one of the fast dying heritages of Sri Lankan Muslims, namely their musical traditions, has been brought to light. The Muslim…
A.K. Dissanayake Leads in Potential Presidential Election Race
In the first release of results from IHP’s Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) tracking of presidential election voting intent, A.K. Dissanayake, NPP/JVP leader, leads with 48% of likely voters in March…
NPP/JVP Well Ahead in General Election Voting Intentions
Despite the IMF deal reached to rescue Sri Lanka from the brink of economic collapse and the slight recovery in investor confidence, the general election voting intentions of the public have not…
Unpacking Two Core Shortcomings of the ATA
For forty years, human rights activists have demanded repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) of 1979, which the state has used to terrorize minorities with impunity. Ultimately the threat of…
The Dire Straits of Colombo’s Working Class Poor
The World Bank The impact of the economic crisis on the working class poor of Colombo over the past year cannot be overstated. Many of these households were already affected by the pandemic…
The Ongoing Battle for Human Rights Protection
A cascade of reports from human rights organisations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have drawn attention to rise of authoritarian and nationalistic regimes around the world that is having an…
The Proposed Anti-Terrorism Act: Why? How?
The proposed Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), as many legal experts have already argued, can be more dangerous than the draconian Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA). The legal reasons are now well…
Building Back Better After the Pandemic
This year World Health Day focuses on the theme of “Health for All” – a theme that is strongly connected to health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, as we barely…
The ‘Crisis’ – Another View
The crisis facing Sri Lankan society today is the result of contradictions arising from two processes in the specific Sri Lankan context: efforts to sustain the post-war state and continuing with the…
And Not To Yield: The Life and Work of Lasantha Wickrematunge
The recent war was officially over by the time I came to Sri Lanka a few years ago but it was a country still recovering from protracted violence. Lasantha Wickrematunge was made…
Tip of the Iceberg: How Oppressive Laws Interconnect
The Anti-Terrorism Bill gazetted by the government in March highlights a critical issue: the interconnectedness of oppressive laws. As the Anti-Terrorism Bill refers to rehabilitation is the Bill in any way connected…
