Sri Lanka in the Current Global Context
The purpose of this article is to provide an analysis of the major characteristics of the global context today and to point out a key implication for the Sri Lankan state. A…
Politics and Governance
On Burial and Punishment
I note the moral equivalence, one punishment for another although I don’t think we can fix history in a flash. Go back to days before October 7th or 8th. But…
Most Sri Lankans Think the Country is Going in the Wrong Direction
Three out of four Sri Lankan adults (75%) said that the country is heading in the wrong in April 2024 while almost none (3%) said it was on the right track. The…
Addressing Sri Lanka’s Complex Human Rights Issues
Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard made an impassioned plea to the Sri Lankan authorities to meet their national and international obligations and find answers as to what happened to the thousands…
The VFS Controversy: Making Sense of What Happened
On May 1, 2024 video footage shared on social media showed a Sri Lankan lawyer berating officials for outsourcing the issuance of visas to VFS Global at a congested Bandaranaike airport with…
The Bitter Legacy of a Blood Stained Civil War
Thousands of people gathered in a hot, dusty field in Mullavaikkal in the Mullaitivu district to mark the end of the bloody civil war on May 19, 2009. The area was dotted…
Navigating Reconciliation: Sri Lanka at the 15 Year Post-War Juncture
As Sri Lanka marks 15 years since the end of its civil war, it is a critical time to reflect on the past and look to the future. Central to this juncture…
Shades of an Undead Past
In Sri Lanka of 2024, kanji is a four letter word. During the long Eelam war, all sides committed horrendous atrocities. Sri Lankan forces, the LTTE and anti-Tiger Tamil groups all were…
The Need to Heal a Fractured Nation
Fifteen years after the end of the civil war, Sri Lankan society remains as polarised as ever. While many international and national NGOs work tirelessly at the ground level to bring different…
Still Seeking Accountability 15 Years Later
Failure to hold the powerful accountable for misusing their power and inflicting damage on other people has harmed large numbers of Sri Lankans. This has been pointed out across the country and…
The 1998 Bharathipuram Killings and Accountability for War Time Atrocities
Killings of civilians and other atrocities have been widespread during three decades of war, mostly in the North an East. Sri Lankan armed forces, police and the LTTE appear to be responsible…
Prosecuting Crimes Requires a System Change
In the context of Sri Lanka, a crucial question arises: does the country possess the capability to effectively prosecute crimes? This question can be raised for numerous reasons. However, even before delving…
Will Rajapaksas’ Support Help or Hurt President’s Election Chances?
Sri Lanka’s independent Election Commission announced late last week the conducting of a presidential election in accordance with the Constitution and the relevant statute between September 17 and October 16 2024. The…
Government Proposes a Law to Control NGO Activity
On January 30, 2024 the Director General of the National Secretariat for Non-Government Organizations shared with a collective of civil society organizations a draft law to repeal and replace the Voluntary Social…
Paying Lip Service to Environmental Protection and Mitigating Climate Change
In February this year Sri Lanka received an UN award in recognition of its efforts to rebuild and restore its mangrove ecosystems, highlighting best practices and methodologies that could serve as a…