Seekers of Truth: SILENCED by Sithmi Edirisinghe https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36 en-us 2022-09-03 13:56:55 UTC 2022-09-20 02:12:41 UTC hello@padlet.com Sri Lankan writers: detached from poltical reality? esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2301997845 Sri Lankan English Literature writers are thought to be writing from fields that are distanced from political realities. Having the cultural legitimacy of one’s work being questioned is a problem that is common to both expatriate writers and writers in Sri Lanka who hail from affluent backgrounds. Richard de Zoysa in particular comes from a mixed and upper-class background. His affiliations are reflected in his poetry, which, while set mostly in a Sri Lankan context, is still full of language that an ordinary Sri Lankan would not understand (for example, the Fifth Horseman).

]]> 2022-09-19 00:14:02 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2301997845 Beyond Alienation : The Efflorescence of Sri Lankan Literature in English esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302001226 This paper claims that the years from 1956 onwards were times when English was in a decline as it was no longer an official language.  This paper elaborates on an issue faced by many Sri Lankan writers: although these writers wrote out of indigenous or personal experiences, and were natively Sri Lankan, they were still ostracised from the public as they came from an English-educated, English-speaking background. In terms of the two poems chosen, it can be said that although English lost prominence in 1956, there was still ample reason to write during this era, as it was a time of ethnic tensions and rising violent tendencies between the majority and minorities in Sri Lanka. Therefore, there was enough and more subject matter for poetry. Since the socio-political context in that era was plentiful, it made up for any deficiencies that came up when English lost its position of power. In fact, de Zoysa’s poetry is focused on the increasing ethnic tensions, and Seneviratne’s poem focuses on the injustice faced by journalists – both contemporary concerns. English was still widely used as it was a neutral language to use in the midst of ethnic issues, as well as because it had the capacity to reach international audiences.

]]> 2022-09-19 00:16:58 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302001226 The Fifth Horseman: a Metaphor for Racial Strife? esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302006078 Richard de Zoysa, being of an affluent background, would have been familiar with apocalyptic images such as ones of the four horsemen. Traditionally, the four differently-colored horses function as symbols of conquest (white), war (red), famine (black) and green (disease and death). The horses represent what may happen during the end of times. De Zoysa refers to Tarzie Vittachi’s Emergency ’58, where the Fifth Horseman is said to be race-hate. The poet uses the horses to add to the prophetic atmosphere of the entire poem, indicating that they symbolise what will come of the Sri Lankan community if the contemporary situation persists. 

]]> 2022-09-19 00:20:59 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302006078 Violence in "Apocalypse Soon" 2019ba23235 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302401921 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6O0HgKfjk8

In “Apocalypse Soon” de Soyza mentions “violence erupting like waves” which is a powerful image that captures how violence manifested itself as a result of racial strife that had its origins as far back as 1956. 
Moments before there was the pretense of brotherhood, possibilities of unity and hope but now we only witness the sheer force of this violence rooted in hate for the “Other”: a hate that is disruptive and “shatters all amities” and “shards all bonds”. 

In the poem de Soyza mentions two important dates- two landmark moments that led to the ethnic conflict ('71 and '58) and in doing so he evokes a history of violence. This violence rears its head from time to time and takes many forms sometimes through physical violence unleashed at riots- like the insurrections led by the JVP or discriminative language policies- like the Sinhala Only Act of 1956. 

]]> 2022-09-19 05:42:08 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302401921 Enforced Disappearences 2019ba23235 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302407555 https://www.instagram.com/p/Blk8PPOj6eu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link]]> 2022-09-19 05:47:09 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302407555 Violence in "Apocalypse Soon" 2019ba23235 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302411178 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfc-bJu03uM

In many ways what De Soyza paints for us when he evokes this violent history. What we witness is the rape of a nation- bloodied, bruised and ruptured. Not even “nationalism” could save its people, in fact it only bred more violence and still more violence. With his concluding line 
“Has the Fifth Horseman*** come again to raise
his banner, and wreak havoc on the land?”
De Soyza leaves us haunted, shaken and pained by the violence we have just witnessed. The concluding line is moving but also makes us wonder: why so much hate? Why so much violence? What was it all for?


]]> 2022-09-19 05:50:21 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302411178 The Second JVP-led insurrection 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302680489 "A mixture of different political, ideological and economic reasons exist as to why the JVP started a second, far more violent, insurgency against the government represented by the United National Front (UNP) and other established parties at the end of the 1980s." (Christian & Rahimi, 2015)

The uprising of the JVP against the government, and this time against an UNP government led by President Ranasinghe Premadasa snow-balled into one of the most brutal civil wars in Sri Lanka. However, by the end of the 1989/1990, the conflict between the state and the militant JVP ended in victory for the state. ]]> 2022-09-19 09:28:37 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302680489 "A Time of Riot" 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302682635 "Riots and protests have always played an important role in human history." (Vaniarchchy, 2022)

In Sri Lanka, many of the riots that have broken out from time to time have made inter-relations among communities and economic matters worse off. More often than not, the pressure put on the relevant parties by the people, mixed with political ambitions have made the riots violent. 

The poem in written in the context of the lead up to the JVP insurrection in 1987-1989. This was the second attempt in history in which the JVP (unsuccessfully) organized a violent overthrow of the government (the first was in 1971). The second insurrection had a bigger impact on society in terms of the blood shed, economic damage, property damage etc. 

It is said that the property damages during the second insurrection hampered with Sri Lanka's development for over ten years since even some of the more revered religious places such as the Kandy Dalada Maligawa and the Kataragama Esala Perehera were attacked. 

"Although the JVP came close to achieving State power in late 1988 and mid-1989, it was quickly destroyed." (Vaniarchchy, 2022)

]]> 2022-09-19 09:30:40 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302682635 Rohana Wijeweera: The killing of Sri Lanka's Stalinist icon 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302694217 "In November 1989 Rohana Wijeweera was finally hunted down and arrested while living in disguise on a tea plantation with his family.

According to Prins Gunasekara, President Ranasinghe Premadasa gave the go-ahead for the captive - and one of his colleagues who had been tortured - to be summarily killed.

According to some accounts, he was burned alive. 

So ended the insurrection of the People's Liberation Front. But the state continued to go after alleged sympathisers for months. Thousands remain missing to this day." (Haviland, 2014)

]]> 2022-09-19 09:41:46 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302694217 1987 - 1989 Violence 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302697861 2022-09-19 09:45:14 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302697861 Media Freedom 1980 onwards 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302711568 2022-09-19 09:57:24 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302711568 Conviviality v Censorship: On Media Freedom in Sri Lanka 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302715207 "...To a certain extent the breakdown in conviviality began in the 1980s when the government suppressed the JVP insurgency through media censorship, threats of criminal defamation, coupled with disappearances and deaths." (Perry, 2017)

Media censorship is a marked characteristic of any authoritarian mode of governance. We see this during the time of President Ranasinghe Premadasa, President Chandrika Kumaratunga and more evidently during President Mahinda Rajapaksa's decade of governance.

It is argued that the systematic suppression of the media is born out of a government's fear. "This appeared in different guises: the fear of personal, dynastic and political power being threatened; the fear of reportage lending added impetus to the Tamil Tigers’ (LTTE’s) war effort and finally the fear of human rights abuses being revealed and condemned by international powers including the UN." (Perry, 2017)]]> 2022-09-19 10:01:19 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302715207 Richard de Zoysa was killed on February 18, 1990 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302721788 "In the late-1980s, with the escalation of political violence in the south, De Zoysa took a keen interest in the killings and disappearances of thousands of men and women: the majority of which was carried out by the State using its legal and extra-legal military force.

The killing of Richard de Zoysa is a crucial juncture in the human rights discourse connected with the violence of the late-1980s. " (Perera, 2021)

"The legacy of de Zoysa as a writer and journalist is reflected in many who came after him that have been either killed or forced into exile through violence and intimidation in which the State is implicated." (Perera, 2021)

"While the actual reason for the murder may remain classified, some associate with his death incriminating information de Zoysa was said to have had in his possession regarding human rights violations in the country." (Perera, 2021)

"In the southern consciousness, the killing of Lasantha Wickrematunge, the editor of the Sunday Leader, in January 2009, and the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda in January 2010 left an impact quite similar to de Zoysa’s death twenty years before." (Perera, 2021)]]> 2022-09-19 10:07:58 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302721788 Freedom of Expression (now) tdsenadie https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302764583 Relatability to the current context: The cartoon image depicts the censor culture prevalent to this day, in the form of social media bans. Seneviratne's poem reflects on the possible responses of the writer and the public in choosing to express one's own opinions, or staying silent in fear.]]> 2022-09-19 10:50:31 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302764583 How is the "socio-political" evoked? 2019ba23235 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302929502 The socio-political context is central to many poems written by Sri Lankan English writers, who wrote during the era extending from the 1950’s onwards. As illustrated through the literature on this resource, the period spanning 1950-1990s in the history of Sri Lanka was a turbulent era and ethnic conflict was entrenched in South-Asian socio-political landscape of the time. It is thus inevitable that this dark history would merge with the literature produced during that time.

Richard de Soyza's “Apocalypse Soon” evokes this darkness through references to ethnic tensions, riots and insurrections while Malinda’ Seneviratne  “For Lasantha and others” evokes a different kind of darkness- a darkness which is reborn through the corrupt rule of the Rajapakshe regime which seeks to silence voices of truth.

]]> 2022-09-19 12:59:06 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2302929502 How is "Apocalypse Soon" linked to the Socio-Political context? 2019ba23235 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303173143 “Apocalypse Soon” cannot be divorced from the socio-political context of the time simply because it is the socio-politics of the time that shapes Richard de Soyza’s writing. The same can be said for other poets of Sri Lankan English Literature such as Jean Arasanayagam. The socio-political context was a catalyst for poetry that preserved an account of  Sri Lanka’s past and contrary to Gonetileke’s (1992) opinions, by evoking the North and South, de soyza does in fact include more than one perspective of the ethnic conflict.
"...what of the roots spread wide and deep and far beyond the limestone of the North?"

Goonetilleke, D. C. R. A. (1992). Sri Lanka’s “Ethnic” Conflict in Its Literature in English. World Literature Today, 66(3), 450–453. https://doi.org/10.2307/40148368


]]> 2022-09-19 15:02:11 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303173143 The Roots of Sri Lankan English Literature esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303427293 The English language had a significant influence on culture and art in Sri Lanka due to British hegemony. This article traces the use of the English language, and English literature across colonial and postcolonial times. ]]> 2022-09-19 17:17:42 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303427293 Richard de Zoysa esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303474792 In March 1958, Richard de Zoysa was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka. His father, Lucien de Zoysa, was a Sinhalese physician, and his mother, Dr. Manorani Saravanamuttu, was a well-known surgeon in the Tamil society. He attended St. Thomas' College in Mount Lavinia for his early education. He was a well-known journalist, novelist, human rights advocate, and actor from Sri Lanka and was kidnapped and killed on February 18, 1990.]]> 2022-09-19 17:45:23 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303474792 Malinda Seneviratne esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303476091 Poet, critic and journalist,  Malinda Seneviratne is from Sri Lanka and is well-known for his outspoken political opinions. His parents were both graduates in English, and he pursued a sociology degree at the University of Peradeniya. In 2013, he was given the Gratiaen Award. Malinda's father is claimed to have introduced him to politics and Marxism at a young age. Although he continues to vehemently oppose Tamil separatism, he is a fervent believer in citizenship free from racial or religious discrimination.]]> 2022-09-19 17:46:06 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303476091 SLE writers not upto standards? Let De Zoysa and Seneviratne challenge Kandiah tdsenadie https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303676309 2022-09-19 20:02:56 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303676309 SLE poetry as transnational poetry tdsenadie https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303686253 2022-09-19 20:12:14 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303686253 SLE creative writing: Debates on Content and form tdsenadie https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303696975 2022-09-19 20:22:36 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303696975 esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303707263 The poems chosen for analysis are:
  • Apocalypse Soon by Richard de Zoysa
  • For Lasantha and Others by Malinda Seneviratne

Both are poems of resistance, written to oppose the prolonged violence caused by the ethnic conflicts, political corruption, the brutal murders and the lack of media freedom in Sri Lanka. "Apocalypse Soon" is set during the time of insurrection, while "For Lasantha and Others" is set in more recent times (2009). Despite the passing of time, the themes explored in the poems remain more or less similar, indicating that these are persistent and pervasive issues in the social and political landscape of Sri Lanka. These poems are examined in terms of their socio-cultural contexts as well as their linguistic style and relatability.
]]> 2022-09-19 20:32:31 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303707263 Apocalypse Soon esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303713803 This poem describes the events leading up to the 1989 insurrection in Sri Lanka, and elaborates on the volatile, dangerous atmosphere that pervaded the society during this time. This poem is also written in a prophetic sense, and the poet is warning the readership against the horrors of what is to come. ]]> 2022-09-19 20:39:20 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303713803 For Lasantha and Others esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303718382 This poem is a response by poet Malinda Seneviratne to the murder of veteran journalist Lasantha Wickramathunge. He portrays Wickramathunge as a seeker of the truth, and commends his courage while asking who should be held responsible for his death. ]]> 2022-09-19 20:44:24 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303718382 esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303720724 1. Senadie De Alwis- 2019BA23113
2. Sithmi Edirisinghe- 2019BA23157
3. Muminah Hakeem-2019BA23207
4. Jonathan Cruse- 2019BA23681
5. Azra Jabbar- 2019BA23235]]> 2022-09-19 20:46:43 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303720724 Vihanga Perera on Richard de Zoysa tdsenadie https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303726317 Being embroiled in treacherous times (Perera, 2020). This reflects the inability of writers to disengage themselves from the goings-on around them, as many critics such as Kandiah point out the value of remaining relevant; and yet the simultaneous threat embedded in doing so: the threat of being censored or silenced)

Wijesinghe reflects on who might have been responsible for de Zoysa's murder (The act of pointing fingers as noted in Seneviratne's poem)

Memorialising de Soyza is done by his friend Rajiva Wijesinghe through the preservation of his poetry (the speaker himself plays a part in memorialising the silenced voice)

The sociopolitical context in which Richard de Zoysa lived and the reflections of it in his poems : the issues of politics, class addressed in his poetry are also discussed in the video.


]]> 2022-09-19 20:52:31 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303726317 Sri Lankan English Poetry and the Colonial Heritage esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303729849 Western thought dictates that the language Sri Lankan writers should follow should have the actual rhythms and idioms of ordinary Sri Lankan speech. However, the writer claims that a truly creative writer has to use language that comes naturally with experience. De Zoysa's style of writing is splattered with references that are distinctly not Sri Lankan – for example, the damson fruit (line 35) is not something that a Sri Lankan would recognise. Biblical allusions such as the horsemen are also references that most Sri Lankans would not be able to grasp without close reading, and are also not references used in ordinary Sri Lankan speech. These are, however, part of the context de Zoysa wrote in, and part of his experience, so they cannot be entirely dismissed as unhelpful contributions to Sri Lankan English literature.

]]> 2022-09-19 20:56:16 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303729849 Malinda Seneviratne in the act of memorializing a fellow journalist tdsenadie https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303741109 Seneviratne details his opinion on Lasantha Wickrematunge and his political writings. This article proves to be a valuable resource to read alongside the poem "For Lasantha and Others" since it explores the tenacity and also the weaknesses of the silenced journalist. Moreover, Seneviratne contends that memorialising of a person is best achieved through continuing their legacy, and not remaining silent: "... let us remember a man who lived in a country where many lived as though dead and who in death remains alive" (Seneviratne, 2014). Hence, this article is almost a prose version of the poem.]]> 2022-09-19 21:08:41 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303741109 Sri Lankan Poets, treading with caution esithmi https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303751436 The paradox in Sri Lankan Anglophone literature lies in the fact that it straddles several lines such as ethnic identity politics and human rights advocacy. The attempt to tread this line carefully can be seen in Malinda Seneviratne’s For Lasantha and Others. In this poem, Seneviratne takes a cautious approach. He clearly condemns the brutal killing of Lasantha Wickramathunge, but he also seems to be wary of crossing the line towards outright criticism, as he also puts some of the blame on Wickramathunge himself, parenthetically saying “he was wrong a lot of times; hard to agree with too”. His poetry is not bold, it wavers between extremes, and the reader is left to wonder whether this is because he fears for his own life, writing in a time when journalists were in danger of being snuffed out for the slightest offense, or because he truly was impartial regarding the matter of the cause behind Wickramathunge’s death.

]]> 2022-09-19 21:20:58 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303751436 South Asian Literature in English - Where Language and Identity Collide muminahhakeem https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303791803 This paper focuses on the themes of identity, survival, colonialism, post colonialism, class, ethnic distinctions and culture brought out through the unique linguistic elements of South Asian literature written in English. It is not just the linguistic creativity of the poets that emphasize this collision of language and identity, but also the wide range of socio-political topics that they choose to write about. In a region split by linguistic divisions, the English language indeed has the power to serve as a medium of objectivity. ]]> 2022-09-19 22:08:49 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303791803 Murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303819072 2022-09-19 22:50:58 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303819072 BBC interview with Chris Morris with Gotabaya Rajapaksa 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303821459 2022-09-19 22:54:48 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303821459 A Perspective on SLE Poetry: The English Language as a Tool? muminahhakeem https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303824246 This editor’s note provides a brief but fitting historical overview of the nature of the poetry written by Sri Lankan writers. It points out two contradicting results of English education on Sri Lankan literature: on one hand, Sri Lankan writers and readers were increasingly inspired by the great works of English writers, on the other they were encouraged to ignore and forget the literary traditions of Sinhala and Tamil.  ”. However, modern poets like Richard de Zoysa and Malinda Seneviratne have the ability to “experiment with language in terms of individual experience, and to look with fresh eyes at a known society and a familiar environment” by using the English language as a tool.   ]]> 2022-09-19 22:59:07 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303824246 People’s Tribunal Hears Evidence Against My Father’s Killers 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303825618 This piece is written by the slain journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge's daughter, Ahimsa Wickramatunge. Ahima Wickramatunge describes her father as "one of those journalists who paid with his life for speaking out and exposing the unvarnished truth, who informed the people of the many transgressions of the powers that be."

She continues to say that. "It is my belief that my father’s investigation into the MiG deal was one of the many reasons he was killed. My father, in an explosive series revealed the fraud behind the purchase of second hand fighter jets from Ukraine where Sri Lanka paid an 87 percent commission to Singaporean wheeler dealers to buy arms and services used to defeat the LTTE."

The cost of a journalist has to pay: "My father’s assassination caused outrage, not only in Sri Lanka but the world over. His posthumous editorial titled And Then They Came For Me where he foretold his own death became an oft quoted example of journalistic brilliance and a beacon of hope and inspiration for all those who stood for fairness, justice, accountability and a free and robust press."]]> 2022-09-19 23:01:24 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303825618 The Sri Lankan Civil War and Its History, Revisited in 2020 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303828589 "Sri Lanka’s present is haunted by memories of the island’s decades-long civil war, which began in 1983 and ended just over 10 years ago. The war was mainly a clash between the Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) insurgent group, the latter of which had hoped to establish a separate state for the Tamil minority. The mainstream narrative suggests that the civil war was derived from tensions between the Sinhalese and Tamil ethnic groups. However, the war also represented the legacy of British imperialism. This alternative analysis suggests that the ethnic conflicts were symptoms of a much larger problem, rejecting the oversimplified narrative that Sri Lanka is home to a people that are perpetually clashing with one another due to ethnic incompatibilities." (Anandakugan, 2020)]]> 2022-09-19 23:05:47 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303828589 Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa wins 25-year civil war 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303831503 News: "Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa did what four of his predecessors could not do, and many thought was impossible -- win one of the world’s most stubborn civil wars.

Rajapaksa fended off fierce Western criticism in the waning weeks of the war, arguing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) should not be given another chance to avoid defeat.


Ironically, Tamil Tiger leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran may have sown the seeds of his own destruction by ordering Tamils not to vote in the 2005 election that brought Rajapaksa to power." (Sirilal, 2009)

]]> 2022-09-19 23:10:05 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303831503 The anatomy of the MiG deal 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303836180 "In 2007, journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge published a series of exposes about a murky arms procurement that has since come to be known as the ‘MiG deal’. The articles resulted in Lasantha and his newspaper being sued for defamation over his reporting on the alleged involvement of then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the transaction involving mothballed MiG-27 bombers in Ukraine. Friends and family have long suspected that the reporting and legal battle may have cost the outspoken journalist his life." (Sunday Observer, 2019)]]> 2022-09-19 23:17:27 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303836180 The Sri Lankan state found guilty in the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303840631 2022-09-19 23:24:11 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303840631 Corruption 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303842348 2022-09-19 23:26:46 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303842348 Press Freedom - Country Report 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303846889 At present, Sri Lanka is ranked 146th out of 180 nations in terms of press freedom.

The report states that "Press freedom issues are closely tied to the civil war that ravaged the island until 2009, and to the crimes – still left unpunished – against many journalists during the crushing of the Tamil rebellion. With a media sector lacking diversity and highly dependent on major political clans, journalism is at risk."]]> 2022-09-19 23:33:41 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303846889 Media Ownership Monitor, Sri Lanka 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303847913 2022-09-19 23:34:43 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303847913 Global Corruption Barometer 2019, Sri Lanka 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303850487 2022-09-19 23:38:03 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303850487 Corruption in Sri Lanka - Survey 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303852957 In this survey, Transparency International Sri Lanka surveys the perception of corruption among different sectors. ]]> 2022-09-19 23:41:24 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303852957 How the Rajapaksas Destroyed Sri Lanka’s Economy 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303856187 2022-09-19 23:45:12 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303856187 Getting Away With Murder 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303887497 "Though Sri Lanka’s civil war ended nearly five years ago, the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa has shown no political will to address its record of perfect impunity in the nine murders of journalists that have taken place under his leadership, first as prime minister and then as president. Government and military officials are suspected to be behind several of the murders, including the 2009 assassination of prominent editor Lasantha Wickramatunge, known for his critical reporting, and the nearly 10-year-old shooting of Auyathurai Nadesan , penname Nellai G. Nadesan, an award-winning journalist who was threatened before his death in response to his reporting about the army. Impunity in Sri Lanka is a major factor behind high numbers of journalists going into exile, according to CPJ research.


Impunity Index Rating: 0.443 unsolved journalist murders per million inhabitants
Last year: Ranked 4th with a rating of 0.431" (Witchel, 2014)

]]> 2022-09-20 00:18:39 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303887497 Dare to voice your truth: SLE Poetry and its Focus on Ethnic Conflicts muminahhakeem https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303889792 The article gives a historical overview of the ethnic conflicts since the 1983 riots in Sri Lanka and highlights how Sri Lankan English writers have made it a frequent topic for their poetry. While he observes that SLE writers tend to write about the tensions and violence from the "sidelines", one cannot agree that the writers are completely detached from the divisions and impacts of the violence. Considering the fates of Richard de Zoysa and Lasantha Wickramatunga (the subject of Malinda Seneviratne's poem) is enough evidence that writers, whether they are poets or journalists, are not simply observers of the issues surrounding them, but rather they are the active participants giving voice to those issues through the power of language. ]]> 2022-09-20 00:20:29 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303889792 ‘Drawing Blood’ : A Showcase of Political Cartoons from Oppressive Regimes 2019ba23681 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303898304 2022-09-20 00:27:06 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303898304 2019ba23235 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303926987 Media freedom and political corruption are prominent themes that run through both poems. While “Apocalypse Soon” makes reference to a kind of state sponsored violence through the “khaki and gunmetal”, in “For Lasantha and others” Seneviratne talks of political corruption that takes liberties to clamp down on the freedom of journalists. Abductions, enforced disappearances as well as murder was a common fate met by journalists. Was it a comedy of errors that de Silva’s body was found washed ashore on the Mount Lavinia beach?]]> 2022-09-20 00:47:54 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303926987 2019ba23235 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303927983 Seneviratne has a different message on the subject of political corruption. He urges that we “point a finger” at ourselves– which is a powerful statement indicating the need to look within, to assess and to rectify.

Individuals make up systems and institutions and in this way rectification of the self can lead to rectification of the state system. While this may seem idealistic, it resonates with the current political crisis in Sri Lanka. Following the recent hardships faced by people there was a rallying cry to oust all corrupt politicians and rectify the broken political system, and for many this called for assessing why they voted in a corrupt regime?

The Aragalaya also witnessed a potent moment where the citizens of Sri Lanka demanded an end to all impunity for crimes against journalists. This poem resonates powerfully with this current moment and hence can be considered not just relatable but also relevant to the current socio-political situation.

]]> 2022-09-20 00:48:36 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303927983 Poetry as a Form of Memorialization 2019ba23235 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303969494 To write an experience is to document it and this enables the possibility of returning to it at a later stage. As mentioned by Luger (2014), poetry can be considered a form of memorialization- a technology used to craft memory. Both poems can be considered a form of memorialization. While “Apocalypse Soon” records past political events, the poem “For Lasantha and others” remembers prominent individuals like the journalist Lasantha Wickramatunga.

Some western societies have moved away from the idea of remembering traumatic events to using memories to heal wounds caused by conflict. However, these two poems embody the exact moments at which disaster struck and life was lost. So although revisiting these poems may not conjure positive memories for the reader, it is still a powerful reminder that history should not be forgotten.

Luger, M. (2014, November 26). Poetry as monument: Jenny Holzer and the memorial poems of 9/11. Memory Studies, 8(2), 183–196. https://doi.org/10.1177/1750698014558658]]> 2022-09-20 01:20:01 UTC https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303969494 What does it mean to remember someone? 2019ba23235 https://padlet.com/esithmi/pldizmmbg9e9jb36/wish/2303973345 Collective remembering may also be a foreign concept to Sri Lankans, because culturally we are accustomed to mourning in private as opposed to mourning in public. This is reflected in both poems where both poets present personal accounts as witnesses to a moment in Sri Lanka’s past.

Thus, in choosing to document these moments in time -1983, 1956 and the death of Wickramatunga, both de Soyza and Seneviratne have contributed to memorialization of  a dark history that is referred to when we remember ethnic conflicts, riots and insurrections and the consequences of bloody violence that followed.


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