We Were One Until We Were Brutally Torn Apart
It was July 25, 1983 – that fateful day, which altered the trajectory of my life forever. Growing up in Colombo, we had come to accept the sad fact that ethnic conflicts…
Human Rights
Ambika Satkunanathan on How Black July Influenced Her Activism
An expert in Transitional Justice, accountability and reconciliation, former Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Ambika Satkunanathan shares a powerful story of loss and perseverance during Black July and its impact…
Bleak Memories of Black July from Bandarawela
While Colombo bore the brunt of the violence of Black July in 1983, other areas of the country were also affected. Groundviews conducted interviews with survivors in Bandarawela, many of whom described…
July 83: A Mission of Revenge Takes Life of Activist
I was in Jaffna in July 1983, staying with a few friends of mine at the boy’s hostel of the University of Jaffna. The hostel was situated right by the Kokkuvil train…
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…
Unearthing Bandarawela’s Hidden Past: A Call for Memorialization and Reconciliation
Bandarawela town is the definition of a picture perfect landscape, surrounded by green hills, lush trees and bright flowers. But Bandarawela is also evolving into an urban hub in its own way.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
