Category Archives: trauma

November 26, 2021 · 1:12 pm

Exploring Sri Lanka’s Experiences with Democracy

Sarah Kabir and ROAR on “A Journey of a Demcracy: The Sri Lankan Story”

ROAR is embarking on the generation of a documentary thatseeks to create awareness and understanding of Sri Lanka’s post-independence history…… SEE INITIAL NOTICE: https://thuppahis.com/2021/11/19/imaginative-explorations-of-sri-lankas-history-on-the-cards/#more-56776

 

 

 

 

 

 

Project Intervention

It has been over a decade since the end of Sri Lanka’s protracted conflict, but what we have today is ‘negative peace’ – which is the absence of overt violence. Limited understanding of Sri Lanka’s history, politics, democracy, ambition, intent, and the refusal to acknowledge acts of intolerance and discrimination that destroyed lives and led to bloodshed makes it increasingly difficult to avoid the recurrence of violence and we risk repeating the same mistakes. Today, we are confronted with choices that could lead to positive peace or a resumption of cycles of violence. Even now, the difficulties of dealing with COVID-19 and the resulting economic fallout could lead to social unrest that may morph into inter-communal violence if manipulated. Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, architects & architecture, British colonialism, Buddhism, centre-periphery relations, chauvinism, constitutional amendments, cultural transmission, democratic measures, demography, devolution, discrimination, economic processes, education policy, electoral structures, ethnicity, fundamentalism, governance, heritage, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, insurrections, Islamic fundamentalism, island economy, land policies, landscape wondrous, language policies, law of armed conflict, Left politics, legal issues, life stories, modernity & modernization, Muslims in Lanka, nationalism, parliamentary elections, political demonstrations, politIcal discourse, power politics, prabhakaran, Presidential elections, press freedom & censorship, propaganda, racist thinking, Rajapaksa regime, reconciliation, refugees, religiosity, riots and pogroms, security, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, slanted reportage, social justice, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, Tamil migration, terrorism, the imaginary and the real, transport and communications, trauma, truth as casualty of war, UN reports, unusual people, vengeance, war crimes, war reportage, welfare & philanthophy, women in ethnic conflcits, working class conditions, world events & processes

November 25, 2021 · 11:41 am

Fascist Strands in Australian Anti-Vac Campaigns?

Julia in Sydney… in MEMORANDUM to Michael Roberts, 

ONE: …..

Hi Michael, I have some very strong views about the  anti-vaxxer ‘freedom’ movements that are going on.” I think they are mostly comprised of people who are 1. afraid of the vaccine because they have no idea of what they don’t know (see: Dunning-Kruger effect) and/or 2. buy into too many conspiracy theories in their misguided search for making sense of the world around them and/or 3 hold very strong right-wing neo-libertarian ideology. 

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, anti-racism, Australian culture, australian media, communal relations, cultural transmission, democratic measures, disparagement, education, fundamentalism, heritage, historical interpretation, life stories, patriotism, political demonstrations, power politics, racist thinking, self-reflexivity, taking the piss, trauma, violence of language, world events & processes

November 19, 2021 · 12:22 pm

The Unspoken Injustice in Sports: Are Some Coaches the Unmasked Wolves in Sheep Clothing?

Nicholle Collom, University of Kelaniya

Expressing opinions on the unspoken side of the coin, taking any circumstance of life in to consideration, is always a risk that a writer may encounter. The truth be spoken, the opinion and perspective that you and I may share can be contrastingly distinct depending on the circumstance and experiences that one may have encountered. There may be some of us who have courageously fought for ourselves conquering against the injustice. Yet, amidst the presence of these brave warriors, how many voices may have been overpowered, unable to voice out the injustice that they may have encountered in sport? How many of you may have silently suffered and engaged in silent battles for the fear of being penalized, degraded or being considered an outcast?  Therefore, my motive here is to be the voice for the ones that fear to speak out loud. I wish to pen this thought down so that you may be educated and that courage may find itself, for you to be your own voice and fight for yourself and for your children someday against injustice of prejudiced coaches in the field of sports.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, citizen journalism, economic processes, education, female empowerment, governance, life stories, performance, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, trauma, unusual people

November 15, 2021 · 11:52 am

Mia Mottley’s Scathing Denunciation of World Climate Programmes ar Galsgow 2021

Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados addresses Opening Ceremony, COP26, 1 Nov 2021

VISIT …. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsBVx_8oFm0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, centre-periphery relations, cultural transmission, democratic measures, demography, disparagement, economic processes, education, environmental degradation, fundamentalism, governance, historical interpretation, landscape wondrous, legal issues, life stories, modernity & modernization, performance, politIcal discourse, population, power politics, self-reflexivity, taking the piss, the imaginary and the real, trauma, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, welfare & philanthophy, world events & processes

November 14, 2021 · 12:58 pm

Chinese Canadian War Veterans Step Out from the Shadows

Rod Mickleburgh, in The Globe and Mail, 10 November 2021, where the title is  “Chinese Canadian Veterans celebrated at Vancouver Museum”

When the Second World War ended, Ronald Lee did what so many other returning veterans did. He shed his uniform, took up civilian life, married, had kids and never talked about what he did during the war. Mr. Lee maintained his silence for 70 years. Beyond a few medals found in his underwear drawer long ago, his six kids knew almost nothing about his wartime experience. Finally, in his mid-90s, he agreed to be interviewed by Catherine Clement, curator of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum in Vancouver.

 

 

 

 

 

Ronald Lee’s wallet contained tattered photos of himself in uniform and with his commando comrades…. RONALD LEE FAMILY/CHINESE CANADIAN MILITARY MUSEUM Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, China and Chinese influences, communal relations, cultural transmission, education, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, immigration, landscape wondrous, life stories, self-reflexivity, trauma, travelogue, unusual people, world events & processes

November 8, 2021 · 7:34 pm

The Obelisk marking the Battle of Randeniwala

Arundathie Abeysinghe, in e-Lanka, 28 October 2021 …

A monument constructed at the ninth kilometer post on the *Ella–Wellawaya Road near the village of Randeniwela is a unique obelisk to commemorate the Battle of Randeniwela (Battle of Randeniya or Sinhalese – Portuguese War), a battle fought on August 25th 1630. The battle was fought between Portuguese forces commanded by the *Governor Constantinu De Saa de Noronha and King Senarath’s (1604–1635) youngest son Prince Maha Astana (pre coronation) who was later crowned as King Rajasinha II (1635–1687), the second ruler of Kandyan Kingdom and his brother Prince Vijayapala.

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under atrocities, authoritarian regimes, disparagement, ethnicity, hatan kavi, heritage, historical interpretation, landscape wondrous, life stories, military strategy, politIcal discourse, Portuguese imperialism, power politics, the imaginary and the real, trauma, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, vengeance, world events & processes

November 3, 2021 · 11:46 pm

Self-Immolation in Protest: Reflections

Michael Roberts, reproducing here an expanded version of article printed in Lanka Monthly Digest, September 1999, Vol 6:2, pp. 56-57…. with citations added.

 

 

 

 

 

A Kurd in Germany immolates self in protest vs Ocalan’s fate

 ONE : In February 1999 a Kurdish nationalist leader, Ocalan, was caught by the Turkish authorities. Kurdish refugees in the Western world erupted in protest. In London a young girl Neila Kanteper set herself alight. In Sydney a young lad was caught on camera with petrol can and cigarette lighter as he threatened similar action. As I walked into the local news-agency in Adelaide that week the proprietor[1] waved the picture of Kanteper in flames in front of me and in considerable alarm inquired how anyone could take such an extreme measure. He could not ever take such a step, he said. His remarks gain in significance from the fact that they were unsolicited and had not been preceded by prior conversation. I was in a hurry and did not explore matters further, but I conjecture that his bewilderment stemmed not only from the method of death by fire, but also from such terminal commitment to a collective cause. The question, therefore, is whether in similar circumstances an act of martyrdom involving death by hand-gun would produce the same level of astonishment. Relatively speaking, death by gun seems to be so much more acceptable to the Western world than death by flame.

Continue reading →

3 Comments

Filed under accountability, atrocities, authoritarian regimes, Buddhism, centre-periphery relations, cultural transmission, ethnicity, fundamentalism, heritage, historical interpretation, Indian religions, jihad, landscape wondrous, life stories, patriotism, performance, photography, religiosity, religious nationalism, self-reflexivity, the imaginary and the real, trauma, truth as casualty of war, Uncategorized, unusual people, world events & processes, zealotry

October 31, 2021 · 1:23 pm

Amazing! Gnanasara Thera’s Appointment as Point Man for Reconciliation!

 Rajan Philips, in Sunday Island, 31 October 2021, where the title reads “One Country, One Law. What is it? Why now?”

The gazette announcement that Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera will be heading a new Presidential Task Force to study “the implementation of the concept, One country; One law, and prepare a draft Act for the said purpose,” was more befuddling than it was shocking or infuriating. “It defies comprehension,” said The Island editorial on Thursday. Many also found the announcement somewhat hilarious while mindful of its ominous implications. The hilarity stems from this government’s seemingly unlimited capacity to be ridiculously irrational in political tactics, even as it is utterly incompetent on matters of policy. Comprehending the government’s actions is not the problem. Fathoming how far the consequences of those actions will go and how damaging they will be to the public good is the challenge.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, authoritarian regimes, Bodu Bala Sena, centre-periphery relations, chauvinism, citizen journalism, communal relations, demography, discrimination, ethnicity, fundamentalism, governance, historical interpretation, landscape wondrous, life stories, politIcal discourse, power politics, press freedom & censorship, Rajapaksa regime, religiosity, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, sri lankan society, taking the piss, trauma, unusual people, vengeance, violence of language, world events & processes, zealotry

October 24, 2021 · 7:55 pm

Shock! Terror! 9/11…… From Within CIA Headquarters at Langley

Anbereen Hasan

On 9/11 I was at my desk at the CIA Headquarters in Langley, VA. We had just started our morning meeting when the planes hit the World Trade Towers in NYC. We sat in stunned silence, trying to absorb the catastrophe before our eyes; then we shifted to frantic action. Overnight, my professional world changed. I was now front and center in our fight against terrorism. The walls outside our embassies only got higher as the world saw the U.S as a target and a threat.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, Al Qaeda, atrocities, centre-periphery relations, conspiracies, ethnicity, historical interpretation, Islamic fundamentalism, landscape wondrous, life stories, military strategy, photography, politIcal discourse, power politics, security, self-reflexivity, the imaginary and the real, trauma, world events & processes

October 23, 2021 · 7:45 pm

Comparative Insights: USA’s Failures in Vietnam and Afghanistan

H.D.S Greenway, in Sri Lanka Guardian, 23 October 2021, … where the title runs thus  = Half century long American misadventures

A veteran war correspondent recalls the ignorance, poor judgement, exceptionalism, and hubris in all of [USA’s]  interventions.

Nearly half a century ago I watched the South Vietnamese army, an army that had been trained and equipped by the United States, simply melt away before a less well equipped but better-motivated army of North Vietnam. The South Vietnamese fled in panic before the North’s final offensive. I saw soldiers taking off their uniforms and fleeing in their underwear. Cities were falling before the North Vietnamese had time to get there.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under american imperialism, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, education, governance, heritage, insurrections, landscape wondrous, law of armed conflict, life stories, military strategy, nationalism, patriotism, performance, politIcal discourse, power politics, trauma, travelogue, war reportage, world events & processes