Ending the Violence And Silence
There has been a positive change in Sri Lanka in the past 5 to 10 years in the recognition of the rights of women and children. This is the result of the…
Politics and Governance
The Enduring Cost of a Long and Brutal War
Human rights defenders, journalists, families of the disappeared and people remembering their dead are continually being harassed and monitored by intelligence services, military and police in the North. Although the war ended…
All Citizens Accountable to Prevent Child Abuse and Exploitation
Child sexual abuse and exploitation have devastating and enduring impacts and affect children from all socioeconomic backgrounds. However, research indicates that a number of groups such as LGBTQ youth, children with physical…
The Never Ending Search for Sri Lanka’s Forcibly Disappeared
Chandrakumari whips out her smart phone and prods it sharply with one finger. She wants to display the website that says Sri Lankan Tamil girls are being held as sex slaves in…
Exploited and Abused: the Sad State of Sri Lanka’s Children
This year the theme for Universal Children’s Day is equality and inclusion for every child. Every child regardless of class, color, creed or ethnicity is protected by the UN Convention on the…
2023 Budget: False Promises at the Expense of Women and Working People
The government’s budget presented on November 14 is incredibly callous. It fails to acknowledge the suffering Sri Lankans are enduring due to the economic crisis. The budget speech refers to rapid economic…
Stability or Protest, That is the Question
One striking issue is currently polarising society. Should the country forget about demanding system change and accept the status quo for now to get the economy back on track? The argument is…
On the Operating Table
Paralysis, blocked arteries, arrests cutting off ringleaders, in a plot to silence the flow and will of the majority, this reality implemented swiftly once the dictator fled to be replaced by…
Challenging Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists in Sri Lanka
Brief Many journalists have been killed and subjected to enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka, with the Jayewardene-Premadasa led UNP governments of 1977 to 1994 and Rajapaksa led UPFA government of 2006 to…
Politics of Capitalist Transition and State Repression
Capitalist transition within a state is a process that involves changing institutions or the rules of the game so that markets become the primary mechanism for resource allocation. These changes must be…
Online Feminism for an Inclusive Democracy
Although Sri Lanka has achieved much progress in education, health and most social indicators, the representation of women at every level of governance remains abysmally low. Since the country’s transition to democracy…
Red Lights Are Flashing as over 9.5 Million People Descend into Poverty
Sri Lanka is experiencing its worst economic crisis since independence with a rapidly declining economic growth rate coupled with widening deficits in the balance of payments, government budget and investment and savings.…
Only A Temporary Reprieve: The Supreme Court Determination on the Bureau of Rehabilitation Bill
Independent The Supreme Court’s determination on the constitutionality of the Bureau of Rehabilitation Bill was met with relief last week. While the determination affirms many fundamental principles and constitutional protections, it provides…
Politics Beyond 22
Twenty two is not perfect. Far from it, perhaps light years far. Yet, in a season of defeats and setbacks, it is a win for Sri Lankan democracy, and for those Sri…
Tortured Under the PTA, the Scars Will Never Heal
Pranavan (name changed), a former militant, was arrested in Vavuniya in April 2009 by people dressed in civilian clothes. Neither he nor his family were given prior warning of his arrest, which…
