Category Archives: Sri Lankan scoiety

A Zealot in USA targets Sri Lanka

Rohana R. Wasala, in The Island, 10 September 2025, with this title “The root of all evil”

Professor Michael K. Jerryson of Youngstown State University, Ohio, USA,  testified on the subject of ‘Human Rights Concerns in Sri Lanka’ before the ‘Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, House Committee on Foreign Affairs (of the U.S. House of Representatives) on June 20, 2018. While delivering his statement, Jerryson submitted a written testimony into the record. He thanked Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Bass, and other Members of the Committee  for ‘addressing a very important issue facing Sri Lanka, which is also a larger issue of peace and stability for South and South Asia today’

A file photo of a US House Committee on Foreign Affairs meeting …. graced this item but refused  to comply with  Thuppahi’s ‘request’

Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under accountability, american imperialism, Buddhism, centre-periphery relations, communal relations, democratic measures, disparagement, economic processes, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, Indian religions, life stories, LTTE, Muslims in Lanka, nationalism, politIcal discourse, power politics, propaganda, racist thinking, religiosity, religious nationalism, security, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, social justice, Sri Lankan scoiety, terrorism, the imaginary and the real, travelogue, truth as casualty of war, world events & processes

Charith Asalanka at Cricket: Richmond College & Sri Lanka

The  WIKIPEDIA Entry on The  Man captaining Sri Lanka Today  in the ODI Field

Kariyawasam Indipalage Charith Asalanka (born 29 June 1997) is a Sri Lankan professional cricketer who currently serves as the captain of the Sri Lanka national team in white-ball formats of T20I and ODI and is the 14th and current T20I captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. An aggressive left-handed batsman and trusted batter in the number five middle-order batting position, who bowls part-time handy off spin. On pitches that favour spin, he has the potential to take useful wickets and contribute significantly as an all-rounder. Asalanka made his international debut for Sri Lanka in June 2021.

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, cricket selections, education, heritage, historical interpretation, life stories, patriotism, performance, Sri Lankan scoiety, sri lankan society

Biographical Paths in Sri Lankan History … via Hits in Thuppahi  

A NOTE from Michael Roberts, 15 July 2025

Biographical tales are one of the paths in historical investigation.  Such tales attract many readers because they flesh out lifeways and resonate with personal recollections. The WORD PRESS website provides the Thuppahi-Editor with figures on the HITS which the site receives every day,

Because of the ‘picture’ óf READER INTEREST served up by such figures the “TALE” may interest some readers. If interested in a particular item just copy the title … ADD “thuppahis.com” and search the web.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, Colombo and Its Spaces, communal relations, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, Sri Lankan cricket, Sri Lankan scoiety, Tamil civilians, Tamil Tiger fighters, the imaginary and the real, travelogue, unusual people

Professor Sinnappah Arasaratnam: Historian Outstanding

Michael Roberts

Sinnappah Arasaratnam was one of my inspirational teachers in History at Peradeniya University in the late 1950s. In chancing upon a printed copy of one of his articles — entitled “Sri Lanka’s Tamils under Colonial Rule,” (date ??), I have been inspired to remind new generations, as well as older ones. of his contributions to scholarship in Lanka, Malaysia/Singapore and Australia.

It was to my benefit that I was able to interact with him on occasions after he moved to Malaysia and Australia. Alas, the details of these exchanges have not taken root in my fading memory.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, authoritarian regimes, Britain's politics, British colonialism, caste issues, centre-periphery relations, commoditification, communal relations, cultural transmission, demography, Dutch colonialism, economic processes, ethnicity, European history, governance, heritage, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, Indian traditions, island economy, land policies, language policies, Left politics, life stories, modernity & modernization, nationalism, parliamentary elections, patriotism, plural society, political demonstrations, politIcal discourse, Portuguese in Indian Ocean, power politics, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, Sri Lankan scoiety, Tamil civilians, teaching profession, transport and communications, world events & processes

James Taylor Memorabilia: A Historical ‘Nugget’

Michael Roberts

 Those with some knowledge of island Lanka’s history over the last two centuries know that one of the most significant figures in its history was the Scottish plantation manager James Taylor (1835-92) because he was the entrepreneur who pioneered the cultivation of tea in the hill-country during the mid-19th century when coffee was the reigning plantation crop. This initial work bore full fruit –literally and figuratively–when the coffee leaf disease decimated the coffee plantation industry in the 1870s and 80s.

Buddhika Dassanayake in Lanka has now added a ‘gold nugget‘ in the world of historical memorabilia: by securing a scrap of a letter by James Taylor recommending one of his working class aides—a kangany (in effect ‘sergeants’ within the plantation coolie labour force).

 

Continue reading

4 Comments

Filed under British colonialism, centre-periphery relations, commoditification, communal relations, economic processes, ethnicity, heritage, landscape wondrous, life stories, plantations, self-reflexivity, Sri Lankan scoiety, tolerance, travelogue, unusual people, working class conditions, world events & processes

Sri Lanka Smother Kiwis in First 50-Over Match

Andrew Fidel Fernando in ESPNcricninfo, 13 November 2024 .

Sri Lanka 324 for 5 in 49.2 overs (Kusal 143, Avishka 100, Asalanka 40, Duffy 3-41) beat New Zealand 175 for 9 in 27 overs (Young 48, Robinson 35, Bracewell 34*, Madushanka 3-39) by 45 runs (DLS method)
Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando made centuries, and put on 206 together to send Sri Lanka to a commanding score. Then, once rain had reduced New Zealand’s chase to 27 overs, Sri Lanka’s spinners reaped five wickets for 22 runs to derail the visitors after their openers had made a strong start.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under cricket selections, life stories, performance, Sri Lankan scoiety

Luxury Cars — Typical Extravaganza in Sri Lanka

Bedgar Perera, in The Island, 8 October 2024

In recent days, [a] vehicle display at Galle Face attracted much interest. Most of them were fuel guzzling, power packed automobiles, expensive to run and unaffordable to most unless somebody like the government or a big company picks up the tab. They were lavishly used by political appointees of many sorts at no cost to themselves.

 

Continue reading

3 Comments

Filed under accountability, Colombo and Its Spaces, democratic measures, economic processes, life stories, meditations, performance, Sri Lankan scoiety, taking the piss, transport and communications

THE CEYLON JOURNAL is launched: Seeking to Elucidate the Past & the Present

The Ceylon Journal is finally out

On August 2, 2024, the inaugural volume of The Ceylon Journal was launched at the Sri Lanka Medical Association Auditorium. This new publication by Heritage Publications is spearheaded by young historian Avishka Mario Senewiratne, features 15 articles exploring various facets of Sri Lankan history, including politics, architecture, folklore, and more. Inspired by Charles Ambrose Lorenz’s Young Ceylon, the journal aims to deepen understanding of Sri Lanka’s heritage and inspire progress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, cultural transmission, democratic measures, economic processes, education, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, human rights, language policies, Left politics, legal issues, life stories, literary achievements, modernity & modernization, nationalism, parliamentary elections, patriotism, pilgrimages, plantations, plural society, political demonstrations, politIcal discourse, power politics, press freedom & censorship, reconciliation, refugees, religiosity, self-reflexivity, social justice, Sri Lankan cricket, Sri Lankan scoiety, Tamil migration, tamil refugees, teaching profession, theatre world, tourism, transport and communications, welfare & philanthophy

Underlining BLACK JULY in 1958: Poignant Reflections

Daya Wickramatunga to Jayantha Somasundaram, 14 July 2024, in Response to Jayantha’s Circulation of the DAILY MIRROR Item on the 1958 Riots: viz. …………………………. https://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/Black-July-facing-the-moment-of-truth/231-287106

The ‘Sinhala Only Bill’ by SWRD was ridiculous. SWRD could hardly speak Sinhala when he returned to Sri Lanka from Oxford. That [the Sinhaal Only campaign] was obviously a political move by SWRD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo shows Tamils being ridiculed and assaulted on Galle Roadin Colombo by Sinhala çitizens’…but check if this is from 1983

Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under accountability, anti-racism, atrocities, chauvinism, Colombo and Its Spaces, communal relations, Eelam, ethnicity, governance, historical interpretation, life stories, patriotism, politIcal discourse, power politics, racism, riots and pogroms, security, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, Sri Lankan scoiety, Tamil civilians, Tamil migration, tamil refugees, terrorism, trauma, vengeance, world events & processes, zealotry

A Cricket Coach for Sri Lanka ….. Options

Rex Clementine, in the Island, 30 June 2024, where the title reads  ‘Who should suceed Silverwood”

Before Sri Lanka Cricket could assess and decide whether Chris Silverwood should get an extension, the Head Coach threw in the towel indicating that family reasons made it impossible for him to stay away from home. Silverwood, who is 49, has three young boys. Indications are that he might return home to take up as coach of Yorkshire, where he made a name for himself as a fast bowler.

Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under cricket selections, life stories, patriotism, performance, Sri Lankan cricket, Sri Lankan scoiety, world events & processes