Society

A United Front Religious Leaders Speak on Unity to Fight COVID-19

Admin April 16, 2020

MELANI MANEL PERERA Comments from Religious Leaders in Sri Lanka during the Coronavirus Pandemic Religious leaders of the Catholic, Christian, Hindu and Islam faiths have emphasized that the cohesive support rendered to the regulations issued by the government and the health authorities on

Society

Railroading Classism in Post-Colonial Sri Lanka A Class Above

Admin March 24, 2020

JEEVANI SINNIAH Comparing classism and railway classes We sat nervously huddled on the wooden bench of the Haputale Railway Station late one chilly August night, clutching our precious collections from the trip to the Hill Country – Kithul Jaggery, jars of Orange Marmalade, Guava Jelly and Nelli Syrup from the famous Adhisham Bungalow in Haputale. […]

In Focus

The Impact of Sri Lanka’s Caste System Caste Differences Within Races

Admin March 24, 2020

KALAVARSHNY KANAGARATNAM AND HARINDRA “Because I married a girl from another caste, my family was not allowed to live in the same village” “As a result of my marrying a girl from another caste my family was not allowed to live in the same village. We had to relocate and had no contact with the […]

Society

Mixed Marriages in Sri Lanka “Religion was never an obstacle…”

Admin March 24, 2020

TUSANTHAN VAYIRAMUTHTHU -K.M.RAZOOL Two stories of mixed marriages from different corners of the country “Religion is a way of life, but many problems occur when we consider that man was created only for religion” says Muthukuruppan Sambanthar (71), a retired school principal and former Hindu Religious Affairs Director of the Kandy Department of Education. He […]

Society

How do we treat our seniors? Orphaned Mothers

Admin March 19, 2020

AHSAN AFTHAR A photographic investigation of our treatment of Sri Lanka’s senior citizens What you see pictured here are mothers who have been left behind at St. Anne’s Home for the Elders in Wadduwa. They have no blood relatives, but they are together; helping each other in their day-to-day activities. There are no ethnic or […]

Society

Reconciliation & Childhood Lives Beneath the Labels

Admin March 19, 2020

VIMUKTHI KARUNARATNE AND K. M. RAZOOL A visual exploration of childhood and reconciliation that begins at a young age Still a nascent community, the Thalpitiya locality in Wadduwa has been in existence only since the mid 90s. Built on land grants by the government, the locale mainly comprises fisherman families of Buddhist and Catholic faiths, […]

In Focus

The Archive of Memory Sri Lanka After Independence

Admin March 19, 2020

GOWRY MAHA A review of ‘The Archive of Memory’ featuring 70 stories from Sri Lanka’s post-independence era We are used to reading stories from history that are structured by the powers that be, but the book titled ‘Archive of Memory‘ makes us look back through real experiences. Defining narratives up to 2018, the book chronicles 70 years […]

Society

Singing the National Anthem Where is the Tamil Identity?

Admin March 11, 2020

MELANI MANEL PERERA KARTHIKESU KAMALARANI A dialogue on the new policy to sing the National Anthem in Sinhala only On February 4th is Sri Lanka’s Independence Day. Parallel to the official ceremony in which only the Sinhala language version of the national anthem was sung, a diverse group of activists belonging to many ethnic and […]

Society

Reporting from Wadduwa Pollution & the Peaceful Sea

Admin March 11, 2020

LASANTHA DE SILVA Fishing industry in Wadduwa in crisis due to pollution in the sea The sea is calm in Wadduwa at the beginning of each year. Fishing vessels of all sizes easily set sail to catch fish. However, the fishermen seem more silent than the sea. Southern Thalpitiya is a coastal village situated between […]

Uncategorized

Carpentry Workshops in Moratuwa Uniting Communities with Craftsmanship

Admin March 11, 2020

SARATH MANULAWICKRAMA How carpentry brings a community together A set of chairs make a panel for discussion. Any furniture or woodwork including cartwheels, roof or wardrobe unites a people. Carpentry workshops fit not only wood but also people together. Moratuwa is a town full of carpentry workshops which have been supplying furniture both to poor […]