Sri Lanka

From the field A multi-ethnic play represents Sri Lanka internationally

Selvaraj Leelawathi met Ronika Chamalee in 2004, through Janakaraliya – a Sri Lankan theatre group. Both were recruited as team members of the mobile theatre group. At that time, neither of them was able to speak the other’s language, speaking only Tamil and Sinhala respectively. They have come a long way from where they were when they joined and today, they are co-directing the first Tamil play to represent Sri Lanka at an international theatre festival, together with their multi-ethnic crew. Read more >>>

From the field Young people as agents of peacebuilding in Sri Lanka

In post-war Sri Lanka it is important to acknowledge that ethnic tensions may still remain even after the end of the conflict in 2009. An end to the fighting does not target the roots of the conflict or the protracted ethnic consciousnesses of the Sinhalese, Tamils, and muslims. Thus peacebuilding which acknowledges the roots of the conflict and tries to prevent further conflict is essential in achieving a durable positive peace. It is also important that young people are part of any long-term peacebuilding and reconciliation. Read more >>>

Interview Liberal peacebuilding and civil society in Sri Lanka

Civil society organisations have played a very active and at times controversial role in the peace process in Sri Lanka. According to Oliver Walton, Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham, much of the controversy has been caused by the relationship between civil society organisations and international donors. Oliver kindly agreed to be interviewed about his research. Read more >>>

Interview Challenges for a post-conflict Sri Lanka

Even though the armed conflict in Sri Lanka between the LTTE and the Government officially ended in May 2009, remnants of that war still clouds the island’s present. Signs of subtle yet intense militarisation inside the country, as well as mounting international concern regarding human rights violations committed during the period of war, testify to this. What are the challenges currently facing the country? What are the available courses of action to prevent a relapse into conflict a few years down the line? Read more >>>

From the field Questioning democracy: Local elections in Sri Lanka

On 17 March Sri Lanka will hold elections in 235 provincial councils. Despite the end of the civil war, and the heralding of a peaceful era prioritising development and promoting tourism through government policy, the times are not peaceful. Election violence, as happens in almost all the elections, is taking place at the moment without exception. Read more >>>

From the field Displaced again: IDPs hit by floods in Sri Lanka

Under the post-war recovery programmes launched by the Sri Lankan government, people in North and East cultivated many more paddy fields as increasing numbers of refugees returned to claim their own agricultural lands. This was a hopeful beginning for young people, many of whom have spent much all their lives between conflict zones and refugee camps. Read more >>>

From the field Ajith Kumarasiri: A musician confronting war with music

Can one man make a change in the war torn context of Sri Lanka through music? Ajith Kumarasiri believes he can, and is showing that he can make a difference through his work. Ajith is a musician who travels with his guitar in the war affected areas of the country, singing freely for humanity. He traces his activism to 1980’s. This decade witnessed two of the most appalling humanitarian crimes in Sri Lanka: Black July in 1983 in which there was mass killing of Tamils and the 1989 insurgency, where a significant number of young people were arrested and killed after the attempted Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna rebellion against the state. Ajith lost many of his friends – both Tamil and Sinhala – in both these events. As Ajith says, this was the ‘turning point’ for him, veering him towards making a statement for peace through his life and career, using his one passion: his music. Read more >>>

From the field 18th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution

We have recently added a new organisation to our Sri Lanka section, the National Peace Council (NPC). I took the opportunity to ask the Director of the NPC about the big debate in Sri Lankan politics at present – the 18th Amendment to Constitution, which has just been passed in Parliament. In this video, Dr Perera gives his perspective on the Amendment, and some of the dangers it represents. Read more >>>

Professional Development Courses in Sri Lanka

The Peacebuilding & Development Institute in Sri Lanka is an international training, capacity building and research Institute in South Asia. They have announced their upcoming training programmes for peacebuilders for October-December 2010. Read more >>>

From the field Hope of peace in Sri Lanka

The armed conflict in Sri Lanka is over, but still the government has not given a satisfactory political solution for the Tamils who live in North and East Sri Lanka. After 30 years, people have to face and deal with so many new things – such as a new governing system and a new laws. The post-war period of Sri Lanka is complicated, primarily because people do not have any support to overcome their sadness, loss, tension and frustrations from the conflict. Read more >>>