One year later: A murder unresolved, a government unashamed
Maybe we are numb too Though it’s warm and all we have today Is a cloudy sky , Vivimarie Vanderpoorten Lasantha Wickremetunge, the Editor of the and one of Sri Lanka’s best…
Human Security
Christmas 2008 to Christmas 2009 in Sri Lanka
Last Christmas, together with few friends, we prayed desperately, hoping a bloodbath would be avoided This Christmas, we prayed and lit candles for the thousands killed and missing during the war, the…
THE (IR)RELEVANCE OF A ‘HUMAN RIGHTS DAY’: Some critical problems facing human rights protection in Sri Lanka
Recently, the world celebrated the ‘Human Rights Day’, on 10 December. It comes to us, every year. It is a day that commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration…
On Lasantha Wickremetunge, media freedom and human rights in Sri Lanka: Interview with Dilrukshi Handunnetti
“Governments usually don’t take notice of silent majorities” says well known investigative and environmental journalism Dilrukshi Handunnetti in this video interview with . To commemorate Human Rights Day 2009 (falling on 10…
The Tamil Population and the Politics of Boycotts and Non Participation
The first opportunity that the population of this island had to vote in an election based on universal adult franchise was in the State Council elections of 1931 under the Donoughmore Constitution….
Prospects for post-war human rights in Sri Lanka: Interview with Sunila Abeysekera
To commemorate Human Rights Day 2009 (falling on 10 December)Â interviewed a number of leading activists in Sri Lanka to find out their perspectives on current challenges facing human rights in post-war Sri…
The Travelling Circus on video: Looking at war and IDPs through theatre
Obligingly recorded by Young Asia Television at the request of , produced by Mind Adventures, directed by Tracy Holsinger and recently staged in Colombo. An in-depth review of the production is published on…
Human Rights in Post-War Sri Lanka: Challenges and opportunities
To commemorate Human Rights Day, falling today, interviewed a number of leading activists in Sri Lanka to find out their perspectives on current challenges facing human rights in post-war Sri Lanka. This…
The Relevance of Human Rights – A Lankan Perspective
[Editors Note: Prof. Rajan Hoole, co-founder of UTHR (J) and co-author of the Broken Palmyra, presents this piece exclusively to Groundviews for Human Rights Day 2009]. One important indicator of Human Rights…
100 days in hard labour and counting: The plight of J.S. Tissainayagam
Today is Human Rights Day, which honours the UN’s adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on 10 December 1948, the first global enunciation of human rights. Today is…
THE RAJAPAKSE REGIME AND THE FOURTH ESTATE
Authors note: This is the first of two articles. The second is in draft form and is tentatively entitled’. It may appear first in print form, but that remains to be seen….
A review of The Travelling Circus
The late review is at an advantage, in that it is informed by the published critiques of others and subsequent responses online and in print. In this respect, watching Tracy Holsinger’s on…
180 days after end of war, the much anticipated return of IDPs: An eyewitness account
Last week a group of us got very rare access to some of the resettled areas in Mannar and Killinochchi. I also visited the different zones in Manik Farm (used to be…
Chellaney on Indo-Sri Lanka relations: How not to win friends and influence your neighbours
Intellectuals in India have unfortunately not played positive roles in building good relations with its small neighbors. For the most part they ignore all neighbors other than Pakistan. In the few cases…
GSP+, SOVEREIGNTY, DOUBLE STANDARDS AND TERRORIST TRAITORS
It is worth clarifying here the situation regarding the EU GSP+ facility, given the confusion prevailing in the mainstream media. The EU has NOT threatened trade sanctions against Sri Lanka. The GSP+ facility…
