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Groundviews

Politics and Governance

Year
Month
Colombo, Politics and Governance

The Absent Minded Opposition

At a time when everyone is taking a stand on everything, abstentions only show that you don’t want to take a stand on anything. The SJB, the country’s main opposition, chose to…

Uditha Devapriya Uditha Devapriya on 05/06/2023
Colombo, Human Rights, Identity, justice, Politics and Governance

Will Sri Lanka Decriminalize Same-Sex Relations?

In 2022 parliamentarian and lawyer Premanath C. Dolawatte presented to parliament a Private Member’s Bill to amend Sections 365 and 365A of the Penal Code of Sri Lanka with the aim of…

Kaushalya Sendanayaka Arachchi Kaushalya Sendanayaka Arachchi on 05/05/2023
Colombo, Economy, Human Security, Political philosophy, Politics and Governance

Beyond May Day

The connection between May Day and labour rights began in the United States. During the 19th century, at the height of the industrial revolution, thousands of men, women and children were dying…

Buwanaka S. Perera Buwanaka S. Perera on 05/04/202305/08/2023
Colombo, Human Rights, International, Media and Communications, Politics and Governance, Right to Information

An Analysis of Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka and Myanmar

Sri Lanka and Myanmar were both once colonized by the British and gained independence in the same year, 1948. That is not the only similarity these two countries share; both enjoy strong…

Suu Mon Aung Suu Mon Aung on 05/03/202305/08/2023
Colombo, Human Rights, justice, Politics and Governance, Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)

Countering Terrorism While Ensuring Rights: A Sisyphean Task?

A much discussed and debated topic is the Anti-Terrorism Bill (ATA) of 2023, which was introduced as a mending patch for the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 48…

Sajini Wickramasinghe Sajini Wickramasinghe on 04/30/202305/02/2023
Colombo, Development, Economy, Environment, Farming & Agriculture, Politics and Governance

Don’t Blame the Monkeys

Animal rights activists and conservationists are up in arms about a plan to send 100,000 toque macaque monkeys to China on the request of a private Chinese firm. The government says the…

Jayantha Wijesingha Jayantha Wijesingha on 04/26/202304/27/2023
Development, Environment, Human Rights, Human Security, Issues, Mannar, Moving Images, Photos, Politics and Governance

Wind Farms : The Death of Mannar

How can the most ambitious renewable power project in Sri Lanka have this many detrimental impacts on the environment and the local communities of Mannar? Thambapawani, a derivation of the name after…

Buwanaka S. Perera Buwanaka S. Perera on 04/25/202304/26/2023
Colombo, Politics and Governance, Youth

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…

Manori Wijesekera Manori Wijesekera on 04/24/202304/24/2023
Colombo, Peace and Conflict, Politics and Governance

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,…

Tisaranee Gunasekara Tisaranee Gunasekara on 04/23/202304/23/2023
Colombo, Economy, Politics and Governance

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…

Mick Moore Mick Moore on 04/22/202304/24/2023
Colombo, Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks, Human Rights, justice, Peace and Conflict, Politics and Governance, Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)

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…

Ruki Fernando Ruki Fernando on 04/21/202304/21/2023
Colombo, Elections, Politics and Governance

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…

Ravi P. Rannan-Eliya Ravi P. Rannan-Eliya on 04/20/2023
Colombo, Politics and Governance, Polls

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…

Institute for Health Policy Institute for Health Policy on 04/19/2023
Colombo, Human Rights, justice, Politics and Governance, Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)

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…

Mytili Bala Mytili Bala on 04/17/202304/20/2023
Colombo, Economy, Human Rights, Politics and Governance, Poverty

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…

Colombo Urban Lab Colombo Urban Lab on 04/14/2023

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