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Some reflections on the progressive identity in contemporary times
The sudden demise of veteran politician Mangala Samaraweera evoked an interesting discussion about the legacy and the future of the politics the former Minister represented. Being a leading figure in mainstream politics for (...)
A group of human rights (HR) organisations have condemned the ongoing persecution and reprisals by Sri Lankan authorities against student leaders, labour union leaders, teachers, academics, and others involved in recent protests against the education policies in the country.
In a joint (...)
In Sri Lanka, a new government has acted swiftly to curtail freedom of speech and assembly, militarise governance structures and suppress dissent. The COVID-19 pandemic is providing a convenient justification for these measures, which are having a chilling effect on civil society. This policy (...)
The date of 13 July 2021 was a very special day in Sri Lankan history with regard to the labour relations. For the first time in Sri Lankan history, a female member participated in the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) meeting after being nominated by the United Federation of Labour (...)
Children from families working in the plantation sector are dropping out of school at an increasing rate to seek work due to crushing pressure to perform extraordinarily well at national exams.
These students are being pushed by teachers, principals, education zone and provincial directors to (...)
One of the things that I have learned, during the past 11 months in Parliament, is the importance of timing in politics. As a member of the Opposition in a Parliament where the Government wields a large majority, I understood fairly early that this Government wasn’t about to be magnanimous about (...)
Child rights activists have started questioning the government’s definition of national security as it is quite evident that a defenseless child is no longer safe in this country. The recent incident of an underaged domestic worker who is said to have allegedly set herself on fire at a (...)
Open letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
We write to draw your attention to the serious situation faced by the 4.3 million student population in this country since March 2020 when the pandemic first appeared. There has not been any education for them in the last 15 months except for a few (...)
“So, it seems to me that despite so many decisions, torture at police stations continues unabated, in utter contempt of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution’ ”: Justice Kulatunga
During the period March 2020 to 24 June 2021 there were reports of six cases of encounter killings, 27 (...)
In addition to TV programmes such as “Guru Gedera” broadcast through Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, the Ministers said virtual classrooms have already been introduced through the E-thaksalawa programme
“Minister Peiris said only 12 per cent do not receive online education. Whoever the (...)
Both Sinhala nationalists and followers of liberal peace base their analysis of post-war Sri Lanka as a country that has ended a violent phase of its history, and now it is time to focus on other political objectives. For Sinhala nationalists, we need to end all talk of identity politics and (...)
After 12 days, the ship MV X-Press Pearl finally sank about 9.5 nautical miles from the Colombo harbour. It has not sunk fully because it is touching a coral bed. The ship had been burning from May 20; an explosion six days later brought disaster in the form of small white plastic pellets (...)
Does the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) keep us safe? How often is it misused? Does it cause unjust suffering to people? If it does cause suffering, how much suffering are we as a society willing to barter for a sense of security? Whose suffering do we barter? What gives us a sense of (...)
Sri Lanka’s admired initial coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic is now a distant memory. The second wave that multiplied from the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda should have sounded a warning to the militarized COVID-19 Task Force. However, they failed to take occupational health issues (...)
Spotlight on minority rights, and ‘draconian’ anti-terrorism law modelled on South Africa’s Apartheid-era legislation
Daily-wage agricultural labourer Abdul Ghafoor Muhammadhu Jazeem, in Sri Lanka’s northern Mannar district, had one life goal. To ensure his children have a good education. Despite (...)
Press Statement of Left Voice (Sri Lanka)
The May Day celebrations have been banned, in another step in the government’s crackdown on political opposition. Taking cover of the current Novel Coronavirus epidemic situation, the Army Commander has summoned political parties and stated that they (...)
Resilient is a word frequently used by human rights activists and the development sector, to describe persons affected by war and violence. In Sri Lanka, the mothers of the disappeared are praised for their resilience when they continue their struggle for justice despite intimidation and (...)
Systematic effort to change Tamil areas’ demographics, alleges Batticaloa MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam.
Over the last few months, farmers of Mavadi Odai in Sri Lanka’s eastern Batticaloa district frequently spotted something crop up on their land overnight — a border stone they had not planted. (...)
There are a number of entrenched beliefs which have become institutional doctrines within the policing system which contribute to the continuing practice of torture.
No suspect will ever tell the truth. Therefore, it is better not to waste time asking questions before torturing the person. (...)
It is democratic struggle within Sri Lanka, rather than advocacy in Geneva, that will put an end to this dangerous trajectory
The Hindu : The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva has passed another resolution on Sri Lanka, as war-time accountability continues to haunt the (...)
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