Groundviews

My daughter Dhara, 13, finds it incredible that I had never seen a working television until I had reached her current age -- that's when broadcast television was finally introduced in Sri Lanka, in April 1979. It is also totally inconceivable to her that my entire pre-teen media experience was ...

This article is a tribute to those devil’s advocates who were hurt or killed just because they asked questions “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it” said Voltaire after reading Rousseau’s Social Contract in 18th century France. We respect the ...

At my local hospital (in the UK) this morning, a nurse asked: “If you don’t mind my asking, what is your race?” Not the sort of everyday question, so I was taken aback. “Different races have different risks, you see”, she quickly explained. “Oh, I am Sri Lankan”, I replied. ...

Some years ago, when I was younger, I could see where all the stereotypes about our island came from. I could see why people said Sri Lankans were particularly warm or friendly – they really were. I could see why Sri Lanka was known as an escape, a Shangri La ...

“Victory breeds hatred, the defeated lives in pain. Happily the peaceful live, giving up victory and defeat.” -- Dhammapada 121) “A man may plunder, as he will. When others plunder in return, he who is plundered will plunder in return. The Wheel of Deeds turns round and makes the ones who ...

Much has been said, written and speculated about the anticipated presidential candidacy of General Sarath Fonseka. In my case, something good has come out of this SF for President business...

Intellectuals in India have unfortunately not played positive roles in building good relations with its small neighbors. For the most part they ignore all neighbors other than Pakistan. In the few cases they do not, they tend to do active harm. The recent article in Forbes.com on 9 October 2009 ...

While President Rajapaksa left the issue of elections steaming hot on the plate without any forks or spoons for popular consumption, the main opposition the UNP has been left grinding their teeth, with Gen Fonseka, their prize catch, breaking away on his own, in deciding his reasons for retirement...

Sri Lanka is a small miracle, and miraculous things happen here. Not only did it defeat terrorism. It is just about to witness another battle. Something grotesque, gruesome. We are playing into the hands of the separatists. We are creating more problems for ourselves, at a time when we should ...

If I only knew you were all right or even just okay or less than all right but alive...

Groundviews, a Sri Lankan citadel of free thought and expression, marked its one thousandth post on Friday, 4th November 2009, in a year which commemorates two other significant events in the story of human liberty and the history of ideas: the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall,...

It is worth clarifying here the situation regarding the EU GSP+ facility, given the confusion prevailing in the mainstream media. The EU has NOT threatened trade sanctions againstSri Lanka...

Java and I were mulling over the presidential possibilities – what with all the rumours going back and forth and the opposition thrashing around like headless chickens looking for an option to their likely prolonged stint in the political wilderness. ...

The recent Amnesty International sponsored forum "Sri Lanka: Human Rights Issues and Media Representation" held last week in Melbourne was a missed opportunity...