Monthly Archives: April 2026

The Role of Sinhala Nationalism

In Political Conflict and Violence in Sri Lanka  by Louisa Steijger, Retrospect Journal, Edinburgh, Scotland,  January 4, 2024 The complexities of Sri Lanka’s socio-political landscape have been deeply influenced by the ideology of Sinhala nationalism, which espouses belief in the ethnic and religious superiority of the Sinhalese majority, claiming that Sri Lanka is the primordial… Read more »

Sri Lanka’s Complex Dance of Sinhala and Tamil Nationalist Politics

by Uditha Devapriya, Himal SouthAsian, Colombo July 30, 2024 With mainstream Sri Lankan parties feeling compelled to pander to Sinhala Buddhist voters, Tamil-led parties have been pushed to take more hardline positions to address Tamil voters’ frustrations – historically and today At present, the Sri Lankan government is caught in a tricky situation. Elections are… Read more »

Examiner: Will Sinhalese Nationalism Die?

by The Examiner, Colombo, April 24, 2026 Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s victory marked a high-water point for Sinhalese nationalism. But the NPP’s recent success in the North shows that its power is receding. Reading Rajesh Venugopal’s 2018 economic history suggests that the structural conditions which sustain this ideology are becoming weaker. The Examiner has more opinions than… Read more »

TG: CID Links Pillayan to Abduction and Killing of Eastern University Vice Chancellor

in landmark court disclosure by Tamil Guardian, London, April 7, 2026 Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has, for the first time, formally linked former Eastern Province Chief Minister and Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, widely known as Pillayan, to the abduction and killing of Eastern University Vice Chancellor Professor Sivasubramaniam Raveendranath…. Read more »

TG: Sri Lanka Housing Crisis

Deepens inequality, raises land concerns in North-East by Tamil Guardian, London, April 7, 2026 Sri Lanka’s housing crisis is rapidly escalating into a full-scale affordability collapse, exposing deepening class divisions and structural inequalities across the island’s urban centres. Ranked as one of Asia’s most unaffordable housing markets by The Economist, the crisis reflects a widening… Read more »

Mahavamsa Mis-readings and Misconceptions – Part 1

by Sachi Sri Kantha Prelude In 2023, I was engaged in a double-handed correspondence duel (debate) in the ‘Tuppahi’s blog site, maintained by Prof. Michael Roberts. My two opponents were Sinhalese – namely Prof. Chandre Dharmawardena and Mr. Edward T. Upali. Their premise was ‘Mahavamsa is a reliable historical document’. I was opposed to this… Read more »

OSLAP 2026-2027 Update

by OHCHR Sri Lanka Accountability Project (OSLAP), Geneva, April 21, 2026 2026-2027 update on OHCHR Sri Lanka accountability project …Supporting relevant judicial and other proceedings, including in Member States,with competent jurisdiction Main Achievements (2025) In the absence of effective domestic accountability, OSLap prioritised support to formal Requests for Assistance (RFAs) from jurisdictions pursuing cases under… Read more »

Karaitivu 1985

A Forgotten Anti-Tamil pogrom in the Shadow of Sri Lanka’s Genocide by Seelan Rasathurai, Tamil Guardian, London, April 21, 2025 It was a quiet morning on 12 April 1985 when Karaitivu, a small coastal Tamil village in the Amparai district of Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, was plunged into terror. As villagers prepared to celebrate the… Read more »

‘India’s Fiscal Federalism Must Be Reimagined’

To ensure every vote carries equal weight’ Shruti Rajagopalan, economist and professor at George Mason University, argues that any future effort to enlarge the Lok Sabha and apportion seats by population requires fundamental changes to the Indian polity by: Shruti Rajagopalan, Indian Express, Mumbai, April 20, 2026 Delimitation is the act of drawing political lines…. Read more »

Decentralise or Decline: The South’s Warning

by Nilakantan RS,  Off Beat Concerns, India, April 19, 2026 Though the move for delimitation has for now, failed in Parliament, the concerns it raised about federal balance, representation, and transparency remain unresolved—especially for the southern states. In this conversation with Shahina KK, author and commentator Nilakantan RS, known for his work South vs North, examines… Read more »

TG: New Book by Tamil Historian

Re-examines early Jaffna civilisation through inscriptions and archaeology by Tamil Guardian, London, April 18, 2026 A new research volume by veteran historian and former University of Jaffna Chancellor Professor S. Pathmanathan, exploring early Tamil society in the island’s North, was launched on April 11, marking the culmination of more than five decades of scholarship. Titled… Read more »

Intl Crisis Group: Sri Lanka’s Bumpy Road to a Political Reset

Twin elections in 2024 transformed Sri Lanka’s political landscape, bringing to power a president and parliamentarians who pledged sweeping reforms. So far, however, the new government has made little progress toward this end. It has work to do to show it can do politics differently. by International Crisis Group, Brussels, April 16, 2026 What’s new? Almost… Read more »

Notes on Reaching 70 Not Out – Part 11

An Auto-Obituary ahead in Time by Sachi Sri Kantha, April 12, 2026   Front Note by Sachi In Japan, during the past decade or so, the word ‘shu-katsu’ (終活Planning for the End),  has become a popular one in mass media. Businesses have bloomed on this concept for the geriatric folks to prepare for their final… Read more »

TG: Neelira – An Important Step

With a runtime of ninety minutes, ‘Neelira’ is a taut and tense thriller.  . by Gop Selva, Tamil Guardian, London, April 2, 2026 . Having worked as an assistant director for Balu Mahendra and Karthik Subbaraj, Someetharan – who has previously created documentaries – has now directed his first narrative feature film. ‘Neelira’ is a… Read more »

Cinema Express: A Wedding, a War, and a Wounded History

by Akshay Kumar, Cinema Express, Mumbai, April 2, 2026 Neelira Movie Review: Neelira may not offer easy answers or closure, but it compels us to sit with discomfort, ensuring we hear stories that should neither be forgotten nor simplified When the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) were deployed in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan Tamils,… Read more »

TOI: Neelira Movie Review: Small-scale War Drama with Real Grit

by Abhinav Subramanian, Times of India, Mumbai, April 2, 2026 Neelira Movie Synopsis: A wedding eve in 1988 Sri Lanka turns into a hostage standoff when Indian Army soldiers occupy a family’s home overnight. The best hostage films don’t need explosions. They need a room, a locked door, and people who can’t afford to blink. Director Someetharan,… Read more »

ITJP: GSF Sexual Violence Consultation Report

by International Truth & Justice Project, South Africa, January 15, 2026 ITJP-GSFReportSriLanka-Final-January-2026_2026-01-14-222743_vgod Press Release Johannesburg: Survivors of systematic and widespread conflict-related sexual violence in Sri Lanka say they urgently need justice, accountability and sustained psychological and social support. The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) today launched the findings of a two-year consultation with Tamil… Read more »

From Sachi’s Files – Chapter 29

A tongue-in cheek appreciation to Lalith Athulathmudali (1936-1993) by Sachi Sri Kantha, April 2, 2026 Front Note by Sachi Early this year, I presented my compilation of ‘Sinhalese Intelligentsia and Dimwits I admire and Resent’ [the link is https://sangam.org/sinhalese-intelligentsia-and-dimwits-i-admire-and-resent/]. One missed individual was attorney-turned politician Lalith Athulathmudali (1936-1993). I would place him in the ‘Definite… Read more »