Category Archives: self-reflexivity

July 30, 2025 · 1:26 pm

From Kamburupitiya … Malkanthi’s Multi-Faceted Journey

Fazli Sameer in Those Fuzzy Days, July 2025 … presented in fazli@substack.com with a slightly different title and the sub-title: “A trek through days of milk, honey, and roses”

In the small southern village of Kamburupitiya, nestled amidst the mist-covered hills of the southern coastal city of Matara, a determined teenage girl named Malkanthi prepared for a journey that would alter the course of her life. At sixteen, she was the pride of her village school, a bright, kind-hearted girl who had earned a scholarship to pursue her higher studies in Colombo.

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under centre-periphery relations, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, island economy, landscape wondrous, life stories, meditations, migrant experiences, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, tolerance, travelogue, unusual people, world events & processes

July 30, 2025 · 1:22 am

In Appreciation of James T. Rutnam

Sachi Sri Kantha, whose preferred title is “James T Rutnam (1905-1988): Noted Bibliophile and a Valued Mentor” … with the highlighting in colour being impositions from The Editor Thuppahi

Introduction

My destiny to meet and interact with James T Rutnam came in the aftermath of the August 1977 anti-Tamil riots. Previously, I had written a little about the anti-Tamil riots that engulfed the island then, and my initial attempts to make a grade as a writer in English. [Please check this link. https://sangam.org/s-p-amarasingam-1977-anti-tamil-pogrom/].

I wrote to Mr. S.P. Amarasingam, the editor of the Tribune (Colombo). At that time, I was unaware that James Rutnam was an influential contributor to the Tribune, since its inception in 1954.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, anti-racism, art & allure bewitching, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, citizen journalism, communal relations, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, electoral structures, ethnicity, historical interpretation, language policies, Left politics, legal issues, life stories, nationalism, politIcal discourse, power politics, racism, riots and pogroms, security, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, social justice, sri lankan society, tamil refugees, trauma, travelogue, unusual people

July 29, 2025 · 2:10 am

FIRE AND STORM analyses Sinhala-Tamil Confrontations Over the Decades

Neil Jayasekera introduces FIRE AND STORM by Michael Roberts … printed by Vijitha Yapa Publications in 2010 …. ISBN 978955-665-14-8  ….presenting 28 articles & an Amalgamated Bibliography …. Posted by  Feb 28, 2023 

Unique JewelsAnonymous Reviewer in Sunday Times, 21 July 2013,  where the title runs “Important contribution towards a dialogue on Lankan polity. Book facts”

When Michael Roberts left Peradeniya in the late seventies, he was part of an exodus of intellectuals from the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, arguably one of the best universities at that time. The exodus of academics at that time was compelled by the economic difficulties faced by university dons. It was the second wave of such emigration that diminished the intellectual life of the university and country.

Unique Jewels

Pirapāharan and leading Tiger Commanders at the Indian sponsored training camp at Sirimalai in 1984

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, atrocities, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, communal relations, counter-insurgency, disparagement, Eelam, electoral structures, ethnicity, governance, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, insurrections, island economy, language policies, Left politics, legal issues, liberation tigers of tamil eelam, life stories, LTTE, martyrdom, military strategy, modernity & modernization, nationalism, parliamentary elections, patriotism, photography, pilgrimages, politIcal discourse, power politics, prabhakaran, propaganda, racist thinking, Rajapaksa regime, Rajiv Gandhi, religiosity, security, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, slanted reportage, social justice, sri lankan society, suicide bombing, Tamil civilians, Tamil migration, tamil refugees, Tamil Tiger fighters, terrorism, trauma, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, vengeance, violence of language, war crimes, war reportage, women in ethnic conflcits, zealotry

July 29, 2025 · 1:07 am

James T. Rutnam (1905-1988): A Radical Activist in Ceylon Politics

Sachi Sri Kantha, ... with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

 Introduction: Previously, I had studied the electoral performance of three prominent Sri Lankan Tamil politicians, namely Ganapathipillai Gangesar Ponnambalam (1901-1977), Appapillai Amirthalingam (1927-1989) and Murugesu Sivasithamparam (1024-2002). All three were electorally successful in most of their attempts, though suffering defeats intermittently.

E.W.-Abeyegunasekera-Rutnams-formidable-rival-in-1931-and-1936.jpg

 

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, British colonialism, communal relations, demography, education, electoral structures, ethnicity, historical interpretation, language policies, Left politics, life stories, patriotism, performance, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, Tamil migration, unusual people

July 27, 2025 · 5:18 pm

St. Anthony’s College in Kandy: Its Heritage

Bernard VanCuylenburg  and  Sisira Weragoda  … whose title reads “From Little Things Big Things Grow – Antonians Who Excelled Beyond Excellence” 

Prologue

As an introduction to the subject of this article I had to choose a title which nails it all in just one line. It is the story of an academic miracle which emanated from a simple school in its infancy, St. Anthony’s College Katugastota, by a group of students who raised the bar of achievement and excellence in the prestigious London Matriculation Examination in 1934, with a 100% pass rate THUS OBTAINING THE BEST RESULTS IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE. It was a path breaking year for the College and a validation of the school’s excellence. Twelve students sat the examination that year of whom six obtained first division passes, and six obtained second division passes. Their names which should be emblazoned in letters of gold in the field of education will be mentioned in this article. Paraphrasing the title of the book by Rubeih Murray James, we should “Carve their names with pride”.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, centre-periphery relations, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, island economy, life stories, literary achievements, modernity & modernization, performance, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, teaching profession, unusual people

July 23, 2025 · 1:01 pm

A Pathway to History: Biographical ‘Hits’ in Thuppahi, 22 July 2025

Michael Roberts

Biographical tales and investigations serve as one pathway to historical enquiry.  Because they resonate with readers interest in their own personal journeys this fascination seems to evoke continuous appeal. The WORD PRESS record of readers hits on items in THUPPAHI confirm this fact. Let me, therefore, provide TPS readers with a list of some of the items that drew at least one reader …. that is one HIT …. today/yesterday.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, British colonialism, charitable outreach, communal relations, cricket selections, cultural transmission, discrimination, disparagement, economic processes, education, ethnicity, female empowerment, foreign policy, fundamentalism, governance, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, island economy, landscape wondrous, Left politics, life stories, literary achievements, LTTE, military strategy, modernity & modernization, patriotism, performance, photography, plural society, political demonstrations, politIcal discourse, population, power politics, prabhakaran, press freedom, religiosity, Royal College, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, slanted reportage, social justice, Sri Lankan cricket, sri lankan society, Tamil migration, Tamil Tiger fighters, teaching profession, terrorism, transport and communications, truth as casualty of war, unusual people

July 20, 2025 · 2:17 pm

Political Complexities in Jaffna & the Killing of Rajani Thiranagama

BEING Chapter 3 of Palmyra Fallen, from Rajani to War’s End, by Rajan Hoole ….. Published 2015 …. a book printed and bound by Global Printing Works, 5 Stork Place, Colombo 10 …. a chapter entitled “Some Crucial Pieces of the Jigsaw” … [with the highlights here –– except for those in black — being impositions by The Editor, Thuppahi]

 “To everything there is a season…A time to be born and a time to die…A time to weep and a time to laugh: a time to mourn and a time to dance…I know that whatsoever God doeth it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it”- The Book of Ecclesiastes

Dayapala & Rajani Thiranagama in 1984 .. . well before her assassination in late 1989

Dayapala in later years

 

3.1 The Sands Run Out

More recently, we have been able to put together more detailed information about Rajani’s killing. Given that much water has since flowed under the bridge, we felt that while placing the truth about her murder on a record that adequately traces its manner, purpose and the parties involved, it would also be appropriate to bring out a publication that allows today’s reader to see her relevance to the present. As is evident from our account, Rajani’s killing was well planned, mobilising a network of LTTE contacts and agents. Here in Chapter 3, we detail the cold-blooded murder and cover-up by the LTTE and the names of those who were involved at the time. In Chapter 4, we discuss who within the LTTE was involved.

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under accountability, asylum-seekers, atrocities, authoritarian regimes, caste issues, centre-periphery relations, citizen journalism, communal relations, disparagement, education, Eelam, ethnicity, governance, historical interpretation, human rights, insurrections, language policies, life stories, LTTE, nationalism, patriotism, political demonstrations, politIcal discourse, power politics, prabhakaran, racism, security, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, social justice, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, Tamil migration, tamil refugees, Tamil Tiger fighters, teaching profession, terrorism, trauma, world events & processes, zealotry

July 18, 2025 · 4:08 pm

Wind Power in Lanka: India’s Imperial Grab

Chris Dharmakirti n Facebook, July 2025

India has overstepped its ambition by grabbing Sri Lanka’s 50 giga watt wind power asset valued at over 40 billion dollars and then for having obstructed Sri Lanka’s Bay of Bengal extended continental shelf claim that is estimated to possess 200 billion dollars of resources. India has weaponized her 4 billion debt assistance in 2022 to ride rough shod over a weak Sri Lankan political and civil service administration that bent over backwards to appease Modi.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, centre-periphery relations, disparagement, economic processes, foreign policy, governance, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, island economy, legal issues, modernity & modernization, politIcal discourse, power politics, security, self-reflexivity, travelogue, world events & processes

July 18, 2025 · 2:44 pm

The Killing of Fr. Saverimuttu Selvarajah in 1990

Ruki Fernando in Groundviews,  11 July 2025, where the title reads “Getting Rid of A Troublesome Priest” ... with the highlighting emphasis being the workd of The Editor, Thuppahi

 

Photo courtesy of Ruki Fernando

July 11, 2025 marks 35 years since the disappearance of Fr. Saverimuttu Selvarajah, a Catholic priest from the Diocese of Batticaloa. Known as Fr. Selva, he was 30 years at that time and serving as the parish priest and administrator of Holy Cross Shrine in the remote village of Sorikalmunai in the Ampara district.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, atrocities, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, citizen journalism, communal relations, counter-insurgency, disparagement, ethnicity, governance, historical interpretation, insurrections, JVP, law of armed conflict, Left politics, life stories, LTTE, martyrdom, Muslims in Lanka, patriotism, politIcal discourse, power politics, racism, religious nationalism, security, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, terrorism, the imaginary and the real, trauma, travelogue, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, vengeance, war crimes, war reportage, zealotry

July 18, 2025 · 2:21 am

How the ICES – the International Centre of Ethnic Studies – Arose

A Note by the Late SWR de Samarasinghe penned in 2021 and presented now in his Honour, albeit against his wishes then.

 Dear Michael:

I will have a look at the document when you place it on Thuppahi.

BTW, I noticed that you mention the names of KM, Neelan and Radhika as the three people responsible for the establishment of ICES. Factually, Neelan got the initial grant from the Ford Foundation, KM got permission from JR to set it up. JR also instructed the then Finance Minister Ronnie de Mel to facilitate the process. Neelan invited Radhika [Coomaraswamy] to join as Associate Director and KM invited me to join as the Associate Director.  

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under centre-periphery relations, Colombo and Its Spaces, communal relations, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, ethnicity, governance, historical interpretation, island economy, legal issues, life stories, literary achievements, nationalism, patriotism, performance, politIcal discourse, power politics, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, teaching profession, unusual people, world events & processes