Passion Parade

Thai Pongal ~ The festival to celebrate prosperity

2012-01-15T09:58:00.000-08:00

Much awaited moment ~ the "Spill Over"

தைப் பொங்கல் ~ Thai Pongal is celebrated on 15th of January 2012 by the Tamils all over the world. It’s a festival of thanks giving. It is also known as harvest festival. The month of Thai is considered auspicious by the Tamils, which will last from 15th of January 2012 to 13th of February 2012. Weddings take place during the month of Thai.

“Traditional values are rapidly disappearing from practice. We ought to preserve them for many generations to come" shares Indumathy Kanagasabapathipillai.

Vermilion,holy ash and sandalwood are considered auspicious by the Hindus

There is a famous saying in Tamil “தை பிறந்தால் வழி பிறக்கும்” ~ “Thai Piranthaal Vazhi Pirakkum”-It means the birth of the month of Thai will pave the way. Sweet rice is made and offered to Sun God at the temples and houses on this day. Special poojas are held and devotees throng the temples to get the blessings on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai.

இனிய பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துக்கள் ~ Happy Thai Pongal greetings written in Tamil with wheat flour and turmeric powder

Pre ~ dawn view of Arulmigu Sri Venkadeswara Mahavishnumoorthy Devasthaanam in Nedimala ~ Dehiwala

Turmeric Pillaiyaar made for Thai Pongal

Gorgeous green and white garlands for the festival

Dazzling sculptures depicting legends in Hinduism

Just before the "Spill Over"

Sun God is beautifully drawn by Senthilnatha Sharma

The chief priest of Arulmigu Sri Venkadeswara Mhavishnumoorthy Devasthaanam Somaskantha Chandrakantha Kurukkal is offering the traditional camphor lamp to the Sun God

Just cooked sweet rice

Sunrise in Nedimala ~ Dehiwala

Sweet rice is traditionally served on fresh banana leaf and offered to the Sun God in Bambalapitty

Vadai ~ savoury is a must serve on Thai Pongal day

Baby cots are offered as a vow by the parents

Continuous counselling is needed in the north

2012-01-01T05:32:00.000-08:00

“I lost by my parents during the war. My elder brother, elder sister and I were living with my uncle and aunt in Maankulam in Vanni district, North of Sri Lanka. We lost our aunt who went to the nearby boutique to buy essentials during the last phase of the war" laments Sutharshana Kanthasamy (16). She wants to be a teacher.

Sutharshana Kanthasamy (16) and her elder sister Sulakshana Kanthasamy

Her elder sister Sulakshana Kanthasamy finished her higher studies, but unable to continue further as nobody supports her.

“I just idle. I wanted to study further and become a doctor. Since I lost my parents, I feel helpless” shares Sulakshana Kanthasamy (20).

Roman Catholic Father Damian Soosaipillai and his team of eight counsellors work in 21 villages in Jaffna. Father Damian Soosaipillai has been involved with psycho ~ social activities in the Jaffna Peninsula since 1980s.

“Children affected by the prolonged war need continuous counselling. Some of these children have lost their both parents, and others have lost either their mother or father. Many of them are still suffering from psychological problems. It’s an uphill battle to get them back to lead a normal life. I am also concerned not to create dependency” shares Father Damian Soosaipillai.

Sutharshana Kanthasamy and her sister Sulakshana Kanthasamy live with their uncle, who has been a farmer in Maankulam in Vanni district. But he does not want to relocate himself as the memories of war haunt him continuously.

Photo shows their parents taken at their elder brother's birthday party many years ago

Both sisters had many dreams, but they are shattered and feel their dreams will never come true.

Endless Search for Endearing Children

2011-12-26T02:02:00.000-08:00

"Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: I'm with you kid. Let's go" ~ Maya Angelou, African American Poet, civil rights activist, dancer, film producer, television producer, playwright, film director, author, actress and professor (1928 ~ )

“Tender Sprout” or செந்தளிர் (Senthalir) was located in the coastal area of Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mullaitivu district, North East of Sri Lanka. This home for the war orphans had 175 children when Tsunami hit, only 30 children survived. Later, they were relocated to a different place inland. Most of the children were affected by the Tsunami. Either they have lost their beloved brothers and sisters or struggled to survive. They couldn’t eat, sleep or play. The cherished memories of the loved ones kept bothering these children day and night. They were unable to forget the haunting past. The lost the loved ones stayed, ate, slept and played together. After experiencing the war and Tsunami, they used to get up in the night and scream. They had bad dreams: they had many sleepless nights.

Tender Sprout in Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mullaitivu district

“I was putting cover for the new exercise books, and getting ready for the new school term, which was supposed to begin in early January 2005. I heard a noise and everybody started to run. I also ran and climbed on a tree. I saw my little sister under that tree. And later she was washed away. I witnessed it. But I never saw her body. I was told that, she died on the way to the hospital” said Susi Sinnathurai (15), who burst into tears while sharing her traumatic experience.

Susi Sinnathurai on Mullaithivu shore in 2005

Emotionally drained

There were more children, who did not know what has happened to their loved ones. These little children have already been affected by the ethnic conflict which lasted for nearly three decades.

Niranjana Balakrishnan (20) is one among many. She lost her parents in the conflict. She is the only child in the family. She stayed at the “Tender Sprout” pre ~ tsunami location in Mullaithivu coast on 26th December 2004. She was holding her three year old friend Arabi, but lost control and let her go with the wave. She carried Arabi's body from Mullaithivu to Mulliyawalai. Since then, she had nightmares about the Tsunami. Mullaitivu was one of the worst affected areas by Tsunami in Sri Lanka.

Niranjana Balakrishnan at Tender Sprout which was relocated twelve kilometers inland, in Udayakattu in 2005

The war began again after a short ceasefire period; people from Mullaithivu left their homes and moved for their safety. Nobody knows about these kids. The war was officially brought to an end in May 2009.

Missing and tracing

UNICEF in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka has set up a Family Tracing Unit (FTU), which is based in Vavuniya, North of Sri Lanka. "One of the key child protection issues following the displacement of thousands of people in northern Sri Lanka in 2009 was that of separated children. During the last phase of the Sri Lankan conflict, a large number of children among the internally displaced people were lost or separated from their families. As a result, many displaced families were also filing tracing requests and reporting missing children to a number of the authorities at the district as well as at the national level” states a UNICEF report.

A total of 707 children have to date been reported missing from the Northern Province since the end of the conflict (May 2009).Of the total, 374 of the children are boys, and 333 are girls. 116 of the children reported missing have been traced so far. Majority of them were aged 16 and 18 years.

31 of these children have been reunited with their families, while reunification is in process for another 22 children. Another 63 names have found matches, and are currently undergoing verification and tracing states a UNICEF report released on 12th July 2011.

64 per cent of those who have disappeared were recruited by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers). About 30 per cent were reportedly last seen in government ~ controlled areas according to the report by the UNICEF.

Children for "CHARITY"?

"Children affected by war are still a questionable issue. There is no actual data available to figure out the numbers. Soon after the war many children have been abducted or deliberately taken away by certain people to keep them for their household work. Further, some families have taken the children abandoned by their parents while fleeing from Mullivaaikkaal in Mullaithivu district. We do not know how these children were looked after in the welfare centres, because the NGOs did not have access to visit the camps during that period" says Saroja Sivachandran, Director, Centre for Women and Development, a Jaffna based non ~ profit organisation.

"I learned that many homes were established to keep these children just to give them a temporary relief. But these homes are neither registered nor meet the standards. These homes are maintained by individuals and funded by diaspora and local business people. Some of them wanted to run these homes to get relieved from the tax. We gave continuous pressure to the women's and children ministry to intervene into this matter. The children's unit took keen interest and wanted the probation officers to investigate and find out the real situation of these children's situation.In Jaffna Peninsula,31 such homes have been instructed to close down. Now these homes get children only through the courts and legal obligations are also met" further says Saroja Sivachandran.

I recall the sweet smiles and tears of the Tender Sprout children. I always visited “Tender Sprout” and played with the children during my many visits to Mullaithivu.

My eyes fill with tears uncontrollably and my heart toments .These children are in my daily prayers. Everyday, I wait to hear some good news about these cute children. But luck has not yet turned its way. Seven years have passed since the Tsunami hit the coastal belts of Sri Lanka, but my desperate search to locate these endearing children continues endlessly!

From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!

2011-12-09T08:29:00.000-08:00

"Men of Quality are NOT afraid of Equality" ~SANGAT, Indian Feminist Organisation (1998 ~ )

An international campaign of Activism Against Gender Violence is currently being carried out globally. In Sri Lanka too women’s rights activists are involved in many activities such as discussion about the Security Council Resoultion 1325, sticker campaign and website launch.

Respect Humanity ~ STOP sexual harassment ~ Let’s stand up against sexual Harassment

“Most of the people are not aware of the law. More awareness should be created among the people about the current law” says Najeem from Saainthamruthu, east cost of Sri Lanka.

Over the span of 65 countries, there are more than 250,000 rape cases that were recorded according to UN report.

Wearing a “White Ribbon” promotes awareness as to educate about what’s been happening and to give women that have endured such difficulties, a voice of hope. Show your support by wearing a White Ribbon from the 25th of November until the 10th of December to subdue this misconception.

“Women have suffered due to the war in Sri Lanka. Violence against Women still continues in the North in many forms” shares Kanthimathy Mahathevan from Mannar district, North West of Sri Lanka.

Sexual harassment leads to 5 years in jail in Sri Lanka

Men either have disappeared or died due to the war. Many women in the North are struggling for survival.

“There are 40,000 war widows in the North of Sri Lanka. Most of them are very young and have children. Since there is no man in the family, they are forced feed the families. Militarisation and sexual violence against women continue in war torn areas in the North” says Saroja Sivachandran, Director of Centre for Women and Development, a Jaffna based non~profit organistaion.

The Annual Theme

Every year, Centre for Women’s Global Leadership composes a Campaign theme in consultation with women's human rights advocates worldwide and then circulates an announcement for the campaign as widely as possible. Over the years, Campaign themes have included:
•"Violence Against Women Violates Human Rights" (1991/1992)
•"Democracy without Women's Human Rights . . . is not Democracy" (1993 • •"Awareness, Accountability, Action: Violence Against Women Violates Human Rights" (1994)
•"Vienna, Cairo, Copenhagen and Beijing: Bringing Women's Human Rights Home" (1995)
•"Demand Women's Human Rights in the Home and in the World" (1997)
•"Building a Culture of Respect for Human Rights" (1998)
•"Fulfilling the Promise of Freedom from Violence" (1999)
•"Celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of the Campaign" (2000)
•"Racism and Sexism: No More Violence" (2001)
•"Creating a Culture That Says 'No' to Violence Against Women" (2002)
•"Violence Against Women Violates Human Rights: Maintaining the Momentum Ten Years After Vienna (1993-2003)" (2003)
•"For the Health of Women, For the Health of the World: No More Violence," (2004-2005)
•"Celebrate 16 Years of 16 Days: Advance Human Rights ‹—› End Violence Against Women" (2006)
•"Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women!" (2007)
•"Human Rights for Women ‹—› Human Rights for All: UDHR60" (2008)
•"Commit ▪ Act ▪ Demand: We CAN End Violence Against Women" (2009)
•"Structures of Violence: Defining the Intersections of Militarism and Violence Against Women" (2010)
•"From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women! (2011)

To explore some of the deeper social structures that promote and perpetuate violence against women and girls, last year the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) launched a multi-year campaign theme on the intersections of militarism and violence against women. While there are many different ways to define militarism, our working definition outlines militarism as an ideology that creates a culture of fear and supports the use of violence, aggression, or military interventions for settling disputes and enforcing economic and political interests. Militarism also privileges certain violent forms of masculinity, which often has grave consequences for the true safety and security of women, of men who do not conform to these roles, and of society as a whole. Current world events - including military interventions, femicides, attacks on civilians participating in political change, ongoing conflicts etc ~ exemplify the distinctive way in which militarism influences how we see our neighbors, our families, our public life, and other people in the world.

Gender Based Violence (GBV)

End Violence Against Women

Violence is an act to intimidate, humiliate, hurt or destroy by the use of force. It includes all action taken by one against another with the intention to dominate.
Rape is a form of sexual violence. Violence can also be verbal or emotional. Therefore calling someone derogatory names or telling them they are stupid is a violent act, which can hurt as much as a physical attack.

Gender based violence is a form of a discrimination that seriously inhibits women’s ability to enjoy rights and freedom on a basis of equality with men.
Gender –based violence, which impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women of human rights and fundamental freedom under general international law or human rights conventions, is discrimination within the meaning of Article 1 of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW).

Traditional attitudes by which women are regarded as subordinates to men or as having stereotyped roles to perform, perpetuate widespread practices involving violence or coercion, such as family violence and abuse, forced marriage, dowry deaths, acid attacks and female circumcision. Such prejudices and practices may justify gender-based violence as a form of protection or control of women. The effect of such violence on the physical and mental integrity of women is to deprive them of the equal enjoyment, exercise and knowledge of human rights and fundamental freedom.

“Incidence of domestic violence is as high as 60% in some areas in Sri Lanka according to surveys. Violence against women is widespread in Sri Lanka. Incidences of rape, sexual harassment, domestic violence, incest, assault, obscenity against women, unwanted advances, perverted acts, forced pornography, forced prostitution and media violence all prevail in Sri Lankan society. These issues receive attention from diverse sectors, the State, non government sector and civil society, which address preventive measures and provide redress for victims. Despite this attention, violence against women continues to take place in the private and public sphere and the measures taken to prevent and redress, remain insufficient.

Violence Against Women in cartoons

In Sri Lanka, gender based violence ranges from sexual harassment in public spaces to acts of violence within the privacy of the home or at workplaces. It is acknowledged that the issue of who or which group in society has more power than others and who can exert acts of gender based violence is not restricted to economic power but is very much rooted in notions of social power and hierarchies in access to exercising such power. Thus the concept of gender based violence necessarily includes two aspects - violence which arises out of asymmetrical power relations resulting from socialisation processes, as well as gender based discrimination arising from structural violence against women, as can be seen, for example through the impact of violence against women as a result of armed conflict” according to Women in Need.

What is 16 Days Campaign?

16 Days Logo

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991. Participants chose the dates November 25- International Day Against Violence Against Women- and December 10- International Human Rights Day- in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights. This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, December 1, World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.

The 16 Days Campaign has been used as an organizing strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women by:~
•raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels
•strengthening local work around violence against women
•establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women
•providing a forum in which organizers can develop and share new and effective strategies
•demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organizing against violence against women
•creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women

Sri Lankan Woman Blogger gathered momentum in New York

2011-12-02T11:02:00.000-08:00

Keynote by the International Activist Bloggers

BlogHer '10 brought women bloggers from every corner of the blogosphere to New York in August 2010. The ballroom of the Hilton Hotel in New York was jam packed with women bloggers.Four women activist bloggers from Afghanistan, Argentina, Bahrain, and Sri Lanka were selected out of thousands of applicants from around the world. These four outstanding women bloggers were invited to participate at the 6th annual BlogHer conference held in New York.

Welcome to BlogHer in New York

BlogHer was founded in 2005 in California, USA. It encourages young and upcoming women bloggers, especially those who are engaged in activism through blogging.

Logo for the 6th BlogHer conference

Following is the International Activist Blogger Key Note by DushiYanthini Kanagasabapathipillai at BlogHer’10 Conference held on 7th of August 2010 at Hilton Hotel in New York.

Lisa Stone (Left), Co ~ Founder of BlogHer and DushiYanthini Kanagasabapathipillai, (Middle) International Activist Blogger

LISA STONE: Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai is a gifted journalist and photojournalist, and does a lot of courageous and of course challenging work in Sri Lanka. Her blog is very educative, informative and dedicated to ethical journalism. And I would love it if you could share with us your experience as a journalist and photojournalist?

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: Thank you, Lisa. Journalism is my PASSION. Journalism has been my childhood dream. I am very passionate about what I do. I have been working as a journalist for more than 17 years. I come from a minority community which is known as "Tamil". There has been a civil war which continued for nearly 30 years and was brought to an end in May 2009. I have traveled widely around the country as a journalist.

LISA STONE: You wrote some really beautiful slides about your goals for the site, talking about how it is non partisan. What are the advantages of that for a site like yours?

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: Well, Upholding my principles of ethics in journalism, I have decided to give a platform to all views. I want to be credible and unbiased. I don't like to break it at any given chance. I want to be balanced. I want to cover the issues related all communities in my country, which are Sinhla, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher.

I report what I see and hear. I want to be independent and I don't want to be seen as somebody else's product or somebody else's work. I don't want to be stamped! It's quite difficult. My work speaks and says it all!

LISA STONE: Fantastic. You know, it's interesting as a woman, as a Tamil minority journalist, was it easy getting your by line?

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: Not at all, I had to fight for my space and my byline especially in men dominated field of journalism. Being a woman and being a woman from a minority community, there are a lot of challenges which I have to face. I earned my byline and credibility through extended hard work.

LISA STONE: Well, I have put up some of the headlines that you shared with us. These are hard hitting pieces. I think that,it was very difficult for me to pick between these stories for one, but I'm glad we arrived at this one which is the story of the Jaipur Foot Center in north of Sri Lanka. The images are very powerful.I wonder if you could put this story in context. Why is there a foot center?

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: Because of the prolonged war in Sri Lanka, we have a lot of people who are disabled due to landmines, booby traps, unexploded ordinances and so on. Jaipur Foot Center in Jaffna was started in 1987 to serve the people who were in need. I thought of covering their untold tragedy. The task wasn’t easy. It was so painful for them to share their unforgettable experiences with me.

I had to spend a lot of time to get these photos as a photo journal, because at that time the war was still on in Sri Lanka in 2005. It's far from where I live and I had to travel by road. These are war victims, and I captured them in the north of Sri Lanka, which is called Jaffna. There is a big center for the disabled people where they make artificial limbs for the war victims. I really spent a week convincing them that this is neither political nor commercial. I simply wanted to help them through my journalistic work.

It was also quiet difficult as I was a woman holding my camera and covering the injured men amputees. They were paranoid and shy. And, I am glad to share that I managed to help them.

LISA STONE: Really? Do you know how much?

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: I don't know the exact amount, but they have a bank account that they gave me. I have included the bank account details along with the photo essay. People started contributing money to the needy in the north of Sri Lanka even from abroad. It's just expanding.

LISA STONE: Can you describe why it would be dangerous for the Jaipur Foot Center to appear in a blog? Why were they concerned about that? Why were they asking you for that assurance?

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: They are from the minority Tamil community, and they are based in north of Sri Lanka where there was war. They probably would have thought that it was too dangerous for them to speak to me at that time. Although I come from the same community, I had to really spend hours and hours sitting with the director to get the permission. But at the end it worked out well and they managed to help more needy people.

LISA STONE: Good. Do you want to talk about the land mine issue related to this?

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: The war was brought to an end in May 2009. Since the was has been going on for a very long period of time,it is quiet difficult to say how long it will take to demine the whole area. The demining is underway in the north and east of Sri Lanka.

LISA STONE: Will it ever end?

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: We don't know actually. Demining process is progressing. Mine awareness activities have been carried out by various orgainsations. And, there are mine signs put up in those areas as well.

LISA STONE: These are just five pictures from about 20 photographs in the post where you track the creation of a prosthetic device fitting, painting, how many patients did you meet when you were doing this story?

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: I managed to meet at least five, but they were camera shy, I had to spend more time with them to gain their confidence and not to break their privacy. Two men said yes to take photos of their activities after the artificial limb is fixed. So, I just followed them through and I spent two days with them at the center to capture the correct moments.

LISA STONE: Does your family support your work?

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: Of Course! my family has been supporting me tremendously from the beginning of my career as a journalist.Their everlasting encouragement makes me feel truly energised.

And, I like to thank my few selected fiends who support.

LISA STONE: Thank you Dushi. You have some really fantastic advice for other activists around the world. I'm sure the other women bloggers will be inspired by your courageous and challenging work. Good Luck Dushi.

DUSHIYANTHINI PILLAI: Thank you Lisa.

DushiYanthini Kanagasabapathipillai is the first Sri Lankan woman blogger to be selected and awarded scholarship for the BlogHer conference.

Women Waging Peace ~ Lived Experiences from Sri Lanka

2011-12-01T00:20:00.000-08:00

Waging war is still thought of as a “man’s job". “Women understood the cost of the war and were genuinely interested in peace,” recalls retired Admiral Jonathan Howe, reflecting on his experience leading the U.N. mission in Somalia in the early 1990s.

Women as Peace Makers

DushiYanthini Kanagasabapathipillai is making her presentation ~ "Women Waging Peace"

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 Paragraph 8(b) states “Recognising women’s day today interventions in responding to conflict and promoting peace ~ supporting and sustaining this work”.

Women have proven time and again their unique ability to bridge seemingly insurmountable divides. So why aren’t they at the negotiating table?.International organisations are slowly recognizing the indispensable role that women play in preventing war and sustaining peace. The role of women as peacemakers can be expanded in many ways.

A U.N. official once stated that, in Africa, women are often excluded from negotiating teams because the war leaders “are afraid the women will compromise” and give away too much.

“Women are often the most powerful voices for moderation in times of conflict. While most men come to the negotiating table directly from the war room and battlefield, women usually arrive straight out of
civil activism” according to Swanee Hunt, Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

On 31st October 2000, the United Nations Security Council issued Resolution 1325 urging the Secretary ~ General to expand the role of women in U.N. field-based operations, especially among military observers, civilian police, human rights workers, and humanitarian personnel.

In November 2000, the European Parliament passed a hard ~ hitting resolution calling on European Union members (and the European Commission and Council) to promote the equal participation of women in diplomatic conflict resolution; to ensure that women fill at least 40 percent of all reconciliation, peacekeeping, peace-enforcement, peace building, and conflict-prevention posts; and to support the creation and strengthening of ngos (including women’s organizations) that focus on conflict prevention, peace building, and post ~ conflict reconstruction.

Women for Peace

In Sri Lanka’s history, women were very active in anti imperialist struggles. For example in 1933, women launched the Suriyamal movement against the Armistice Day or Poppy Day where poppies were sold to raise funds for the British Soldiers. The 1980s saw the coming together of women’s coalitions against the war. One of the first such women’s coalitions to be formed around the ‘national question’ was the Women’s Action Committee (WAC). The WAC also took up the call for the release of Tamil political prisoners and worked closely with the Movement for Inter Racial Justice and Equality (MIRJE), the Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners and Women for Peace, a broad coalition of women calling for a political solution to the ethnic conflict established in 1984 raising the concerns of the northern mothers calling for the release of their loved ones detained or disappeared during the conflict. The Northern Mothers Front had links to the women’s groups in the South, particularly those associated with the Women’s Action Committee and the WAC maintained these links. The WAC also took up the call for the release of Tamil political prisoners and worked closely with the Movement for Inter Racial Justice and Equality (MIRJE), the Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners and Women for Peace, a broad coalition of women calling for a political solution to the ethnic conflict established in 1984 according to Strategic Mapping of Women’s Peace Activism in Sri Lanka published by Women and Media Collective.

Girls Friendly Society and the Ceylon Women’s Union were founded in 1904, The Tamil Women’s Union was founded in 1909. Anti war protests, silent vigils, signature campaigns, fact finding missions, human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting, awareness raising, peace education, information sharing, counseling for war widows, support to survivors, tracing, reunification and legal advice were conducted by women in Sri Lanka.Women’s groups had to find innovative ways to create safe space for the women to gather to discuss the issues during the conflict.

The Women and Media Collective along with other women’s networks carried out many initiatives such as lobbying for the inclusion of women and gender concerns in the peace process, alliance forming across ethnic groups, facilitating a multi ethnic, inclusive fact finding mission to the North and East, carrying out advocacy work with the Norwegian facilitators, and lobbying with the bi ~ lateral and multi lateral donors to Sri Lanka for a women’s mechanism to the peace process.

Sub ~ Committee on Gender Issues

A Sub ~ Committee on Gender Issues (SGI) was established after the third session of negotiation between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or the Tamil Tigers in Oslo from 2nd of December 2002 to 5th of December 2002. The Sub ~ Committee o Gender Issues (SGI) was set up to secure the active participation of women and effective inclusion of gender issues in the peace process. This committee was represented by five women from the Government of Sri Lanka and five women from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The committee has decided to focus their efforts on sustain the peace process, resettlement, personal security and safety, infrastructure and services, livelihood and employment, political representation and decision making and reconciliation. But the Sub ~ Committee on Gender Issues short lived with two formal meetings and informal engagement after the breakdown of the peace talks in April 2003.

“Since the Government chose to include feminists from the peace and
women’s movements in the SGI, the peace process gave women peace
activists the opportunity to act as a conduit between the top level leadership of the peace process and the local level communities affected by the conflict. Historically, women’s activism for peace in Sri Lanka had always sought to make and build links between women across ethnic and regional divisions enabling them to work through formal and informal coalitions and networks” according to Kumudini Samuel ‘s Hidden from History. The Sri Lankan women’s movement has a history of such activism in the non formal arenas of peace building. The formal peace process was, unfortunately, too short lived for the women’s movement to realise this potential.

Challenges and Lessons Learnt

In Sri Lanka too, women’s organisations such as Women and Media Collective have continuously raised their voice for peace and against war. We as women in Sri Lanka have held many protests against the war and voiced for peace. We activists, feminists and women journalists worked hand in hand to raise our voice against war. Our meaningful and timely campaigns against the war were challenged, but we never gave up, instead we continued with courage. More often than not, those peace promoters are women!

As U.N. Secretary~General Kofi Annan remarked in October 2000 to the Security Council, “For generations, women have served as peace educators, both in their families and in their societies. They have proved instrumental in building bridges rather than walls.”

Sri Lanka's information market at the Locating Women Leaders in South Asia : Gender Summit in Dhulikhel, Nepal

Many leading activists from South Asia participated at the summit

The above research paper was presented by DushiYanthini Kanagasabapathipillai at the Locating Women Leaders in South Asia : Gender Summit 2011 held in Dhulikhel, Nepal from 3rd of November 2011 to 5th of November 2011

Gender summit paved way to build stronger networks in the region

2011-11-30T21:40:00.001-08:00

In South Asia, nearly all countries have a constitutional mandate providing equality to men and women in all walks of life. However the ground realities are very different. The patriarchal mind sets continue to exclude women from most decision making positions and the gender disparities further manifest in socio-economic status seen clearly through various discriminatory indicators. Often women’s concerns and issues do not receive the attention they deserve due to their lack of access to positions of powers. In certain areas such as education and employment there has been headway, though ingrained societal and gender norms continue to hamper development. According to World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2008 out of 130 countries for which data is available Pakistan ( rank 127), Nepal (120) and India (113) come in the bottom 20 countries ranking. Bangladesh at rank 90 fares much better relatively, and Sri Lanka at 12 ranks the highest in the region. The Index benchmarks national gender gaps on economic, political, education and health~based criteria, and provides country rankings that allow for effective comparisons across regions and income groups, and over time.

Locating Women Leaders in South Asia : Gender Summit 2011 was held from 3rd of November to 5th of November 2011in Dhulikhel, Nepal. Representatives from India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka took part in the summit. It was organized by Friedrick~Ebert~Stiftung India and Nepal office.

Human development, if not engendered, is endangered

Three day intense summit was divided into keynote and plenary session. It covered topics including women in informal sector (Lived experiences across South Asia, Negotiation, struggle and Survival and Country specific best practices), women in peace and security (Women and Conflict, Negotiating conflict and security issues and Women waging peace), and women in decision making (Politics and Women, From followers to leaders and Women as leaders: way forward).

The gender summit was held to serve as a platform for discussion and debate on varied issues which enabled us to improve our capacities, share experiences from the region and build stronger networks.

Feminists in South Asia demand democracy and peace in the region

2011-11-30T04:29:00.001-08:00

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without!" ~ Lord Buddha

South Asian Women's Day is celebrated despite heavy downpour,thunder,lightning and blowing wind in SriLanka

South Asian Women’s Day celebrates the voices of South Asian women, their rights and belief in peace, justice, human rights and democracy. Following the declaration of this day by SANGAT ~ A South Asian Feminist Network ~ in 2002, every year, several organisations have come together as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Violence (25th of November to 10th of December) to express South Asian women’s solidarity for peace, justice, human rights and democracy. This year's South Asian Women's day marks the 10th anniversary.

Banner by SANGAT

We South Asians believe that the people of South Asia can bring peace and prosperity for all through friendship and cooperation. This can be done if we create and strengthen a South Asian identity across borders. Discussions, poetry, song and dance and so on mark the evening. This year South Asian Women’s Day is celebrated in several places in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka by people who are committed to South Asian-ness, peace, democracy, justice, human rights, secularism and pluralism.

We in South Asia have a lot in common from our religions, languages, arts and trade. Many of us in South Asia have our roots and connections to other countries in the region in one way or another. Also as women we face similar concerns for our safety, security, freedom and access to resources in the private and public sphere. As feminists our sister spirit goes beyond borders to support each other and create deeper bonds of friendship. As women with shared stories of oppressions it is easier for us to connect with each other. As South Asian feminists we welcome our Governments commitments at the recently held SAARC meeting for easing the visa regimes to increase mobility between the countries and encourage people to people contact. We do hope this will translate into reality to create a South Asian community. We believe that as a South Asian community we can bring peace and prosperity for all through friendship and cooperation.

Creative banner by SANGAT

To strengthen the bonds of friendship and peace with people from South Asia, Sangat celebrates the day South Asian Women's Day on 30th November each year from 2002 with its usual spirit of solidarity with friends and partners in many towns and cities of South Asia. Initiated by Sangat and its network of women and men in the year 2002 as part of the International Fortnight against Violence against Women (25th November ~ 10th December), the South Asian Women’s Day is being marked by an increasing number of students, activists and civil society members all over the region.

Every year, men and women of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tibet gather to speak in one firm voice about the need to reinforce democracy, peace, human rights and dialogue in the region. We gather in different cities across the region to light candles at the same time (between 5.30. p.m. and 6.30 pm.) to express solidarity with the people of the region, and demand democracy and peace.

SANGAT banner is on display

Through the Northern Eyes ~ An Exhibition of Photographs

2011-11-28T04:55:00.000-08:00

“Photojournalism provokes conversation and though which all good journalism should do. The exhibition provides an excellent teaching opportunity, fostering discussion about how we cover events of our time the need of society while talking about the profession and craft of journalism”~ Michael Parks (April 24, 1940 ~ ). American Actor and Singer

Sinnapillai Sinnamuthu (68) is a widow, her daughter is a widow and her grand daughter is a widow due to the bloody war in Sri Lanka

The first ever photo journalism exhibition was held in Jaffna from 21st of November 2011 to 23rd November 2011 at Media Resources and Training Centre, University of Jaffna. Photos taken by the participants were on display. They were trained in basics in photojournalism, difference between photography and photojournalism, camera handling, light, angles, composition, capture various moments including news photos, write caption, ethics, safety for photojournalists and visual story telling through photo journal. The professional training was conducted for 10 days. Journalism students (diploma and degree) and working journalists in the peninsula including some senior men journalists have shown great interest in learning from a woman trainer.

They have managed to capture photos, despite the continuous heavy downpour in Jaffna. Photos depicting fishing, demining, resettlement, historical buildings and places, livelihood, religious rituals, people and post war development were captured vividly. Most of them shared with me during the training "Miss!, I never handled a camera, and do you really want me to go to the field and capture photos? How can I do?". But, I am glad to note and share that they have captured terrific moments of life in the north of Sri Lanka.

“I never thought that ethics should be followed in photo journalism as well. But now, I am trained to follow ethics while taking photos” shares Puvitha Paramalingam, student of diploma in journalism.

Photographs illustrate the lifestyles of Jaffna peninsula.

“I am glad to see the authentic Jaffna culture is depicted in the photos displayed on the wall around us. We have great potential. We should explore our hidden talents more and more” says Vice Chancellor of University of Jaffna Professor Vasanthy Arasaratnam.

The term "photo journal" or "pictorial" or "photo essay" was new to many.

“An excellent collection of photographs are displayed. More of this kind of training for media is needed” says Daya Master, Head of Operations, DAN TV with his usual big smile.

“Although I am unable to understand Tamil, but I can see the destruction caused by the conflict through these photos” shares a Sinhala viewer.

"Please extend training such as this to devastated Vanni region as well. People in Vanni need to learn too" a humble and emotional request is made by Latha Kodeeswaran while tears filled her eyes.

Photo journal of fishing story in Munai, Point Pedro

Participants with the trainer

The Chief Guest, Vice Chancellor of University of Jaffna Professor Vasanthy Arasaratnam is taking a closer look at the photos

1930 ~ 1950 is considered the "Golden Age"of photojournalism

Senior lecturer of Lingustics, University of Jaffna Vimal Swaminathan viewing the exhibition

This is the first exhibition for many participants

Many photos foster discussions

Rare opportunity to view photos related to news

Photos of current resettlement in Selvapuram in Maavittapuram

An array of angles taken by the participants

Photos Palmyrah weavers from Tholpuram

Photos of footwear maker Velautham Uthayashankar in Vathiri

Daya Master viewing the rare exhibition

Students of Jaffna Hindu Collge viewing the photojournalism exhibition

Photos of a painter and his paintings at Maavittapuram Kanthaswamy temple which is currently being renovated

Photos of tobacco makers Ponnuththurai Suntharalingam and Azhagar Vairavanathan from Navakkiri

Photos of roosters in Maruthankerny at early morning

Photo of rare religious rituals in Mallaagam

Sharing some moments

Photos of demining in Thellippalai

Photos of traditional livelihood of Jaffna

Photos of Manalkaadu in Jaffna

Photo of freshly caught fish

Comment is being cast

Sustainable development is "only possible" with people’s participation

2011-11-26T02:06:00.000-08:00

Sri Lanka is under post war recovery. Many development projects are underway in the country, including the war torn North and East of Sri Lanka. Roads are being renovated and highways are being expanded.

The government plans to promote tourism, and expects two and a half million tourists yearly by 2016, and double the hotel rooms to meet the demand. Tourism industry drew U$ 1.6 billion for investment during the first half of 2011. 750,000th tourist in year 2011 was welcomed on 24th November 2011.

"STOP Land Grabbing in the name of Development; Ensure Life and Livelihoods!" reads the banner

Joseph Francis Croos from Mullikulam in Mannar district in North West of Sri Lanka got displaced multiple times. He is unhappy and requests humbly to be resettled in his own village.

“My village Mullikkulam is a fertile land, where we do farming and fishing. It has six rivers. My village is a prosper one. We were told by the authorities; we can go to the Church and do farming, but cannot be resettled. We had our church feast in August 2011. But we have not got the permission to go, light candles, fulfill our vows, garland our Mother Mary and celebrate the feast.

Recently, we were told that we will be resettled in some other place. How can we live in some other place? We have our own lands and farming fields. We cannot abandon our lands and go and live somewhere else. We are not ready to lose our lands” Joseph Francis Croos.

Reverend Sister Marelene Perera is a Catholic Nun who is involved in the mission of building humane communities in Sri Lanka. She helps the victims of current development in Polonnaruwa, North Central Province. She says development should allow the people to participate.

“For me, development is to enable all peoples in the country, all different groups of people to live with dignity and meaning. And, for our country I would say, we must add another one. Because we have a lot of people in this small country, different religions, different ethnicities, rich and poor. We must create the space and also an environment whereby all these people could interact with trust and confidence. Be involved and participating with a great sense of belonging. That’s what I mean by development. Development should be integral, means spiritual, social, economic, personal and also political.

But, what I see is on trust economic. And this economic trust going towards tourism is making us more and more dependent on others. When we are dependent on others, can we live with dignity? Can we live meaning specially in the 21st century?. And also this kind of tourism promotion destroys our land, our traditional culture, employment of the ordinary people. And we do not have food sovereignty whereby we produce our own food. So we are dependent. For me it is not development. So, I think we have to tell the government this is how we understand development. We don’t mind tourists coming here. But, let it be at a certain level. Develop other avenues of industry, culture, agriculture. Help the people to develop culturally, because this is a knowledge era. We are against it because it destroys our environment. We have such a beautiful country with lot of variety of fauna and flora and that is being destroyed. Where do we end?” Reverend Sister Marlene Perera.

Herman Kumara is the National Convener of the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement

“The post war development process created a lot of problems on fisher people, agriculture workers and all the people living along the coast, and also inside the country. Because, the government’s development programme is to develop tourism, as one of the main thing. Without caring any destruction on the lives and livelihoods of the people who are living on those lands. Government tries to grab that land and go in accelerated way on tourism development. So that, we thought that we need to bring all the affected communities on tourism, on development activities, infrastructure development and so many other types of displacements including war displaced people. So, today we have got here people from various parts of the country, not only from North and East, also from mid country, West coast also from down South and from East coast” Herman Kumara.

Indrani Fernando from Negombo hails from a fishing family. She calls to unite to stop the proposed plans to promote tourism.

“Development; Development; What is this development? Development is essential, but it should not affect the poor people like us. We do not want development which destroys our livelihoods. In the name of development they brought some tragedy to Negombo as far as I see. Sea Planes were brought to Negombo in the name of development. But we did not keep quiet. We fisher folks got together and created awareness among the people, and told the authorities that “we will not allow the sea planes to land in our poor people’s areas”. We joined hands with women’s organisations along with fishermen’s organisations and shown our solidarity. All were united like a family” Indrani Fernando.

People need to be part of the ongoing development process.

Deepavali ~ A day of celebration and joy

2011-10-26T05:47:00.000-07:00

“The divine spirit does not reside in any, except the joyful ♥ HEART ♥” ~ Talmud Quote

Sculptures are covered with camphor smoke

Deepavali ~ Festival of Lights is celebrated today 26th of October 2011 around the world with great pomp and enthusiasm. People are dressed in new clothes, thronged the temples and visited relatives and friends. Special poojas are performed at the temples.

Early morning view of Manikka Pillaiyaar temple in Bambalapitty

According to the Legends that, Lord Vishnu defeated the demon King Narakasuran, and killed him on this day. Significance of the festival is celebration of the victory of good over evil; the uplifting of spiritual darkness. The most significant spiritual meaning is “the awareness of the inner light”.

Annually this day is celebrated in late October or early November on the new moon. The day is celebrated with sweets and savouries, fire crackers, greetings and lights.

An array of fire crackers on sale in Bambalapitty for the festival

Just married couples celebrated “Thalai Theepavali” (தலைத் தீபாவளி), (first Deepavali celebrated together after marriage) with special gifts from their relatives.

Deepavali symbolises the victory of righteousness, the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil and the renewal of life. It is a day of celebration and joy.

“I like to make many fresh flower garlands as the devotees keep coming. I feel blessed when my garlands are placed on gods and goddesses” shares Karuppaiah Selvarajah (31) while being busy in Bambalapitty. Karuppaiah Selvarajah (31)and Karuppaiah Selvaraj (31) are twin brothers who have been garland makers for more than 10 years in Bambalapitty. Their ten fingers move very fast through the white cotton thread to put the fresh flowers on a straight line to make the garlands

Deepavali is predominantly celebrated by the Hindus

An array of beautiful fresh flower garlands in Bambalapitty

Festivals bring joy

The essence of the festival is to rejoice in the ineer light (Athmaa)

Devotees throng the temples to earn eternal blessings

Garland makers in Bambalapitty are busy to meet today's demand

Devotees at Maanikka Pillaiyaar temple in Bambalapitty

"Today's demand for the fresh flower garlands is very high due to the festival. I have been standing for 7 hours to make them quickly" shares Karuppaiah Selvaraj (31)with a smile. Karuppaiah Selvaraj (31) and Karuppaiah Selvarajah (31)are twin brothers who have been garland makers for more than 10 years in Bambalapitty. Their ten fingers move very fast through the white cotton thread to put the fresh flowers on a straight line to make the garlands

Morning rush on a festival day in Bambalapitty

Home made sweets served for Deepavali

Freshly cut banana leaves for sale in Bambalapitty on a festival day

Folk traditions are "nearly" and "quickly" disappearing from the Tamil community in the North

2011-10-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

Ramupillai Murugupillai from Mulliyawalai is always delighted to perform

Tamils from the northern part of Sri Lanka are known for their unique folk art tradition, which has been in existence for many centuries. Famous lullaby (தாலாட்டு) and mourning (ஒப்பாரி ) songs are rarely sung in the north including Jaffna peninsula.Folk tradition is slowly, but steadily disappearing from the Tamil community in the North of Sri Lanka.

“I have been a folk singer for four decades. I got displaced from Jaffna to Vanni in 1995. My passion for folk songs and singing continued, despite the difficulties due to the prolonged war. But our wellbeing is neglected” shares with frustration, a folk singer Kamalambikai Kanapathipillai from Mulliyawalai.

Young people are not coming forward to learn folk dance or music.

“We are best known for our unique folk music and dance. But, it is quite unfortunate due to three decade of war, our traditional art forms have “nearly died” in Vanni. “Kovalan Kooththu” and “Magudi Aattam” were very famous in Vanni three decades ago, and performed throughout the nights for more than15 hours during temple festivals. Jaffna Music Festival has helped to revive, rejuvenate, resurrect and preserve the unique art form in the past.

People are not interested in learning the folk music or dance. The younger generation does not want to take folk art as their career because it does not pay well. Therefore, folk artistes have changed their career over the period of time.

The society does not recognise the existing folk artistes and give them due place. Nobody comes forward to help the folk artistes. And, as a result the younger generation does not get absorbed into the troupe. There is lack of knowledge about our existing unique traditional art forms. Due to war and displacement, we have lost many of our extra ordinary talents and traditional dresses, jewelleries and crowns worn by our folk artistes many generations ago. We do not have a folk art museum to preserve and showcase our specific folk art forms. Currently the older generation has the knowledge about our unique folk art such as Kovalan Kooththu” says Kanapathipillai Arunthaharan, Senior Lecturer of Department of Tamil at the University of Jaffna.

Kovalan Kooththu is the most difficult folk art form, because the barefoot pushed on the ground with frequent force

A handful of folk artistes including Ramupillai Murugupillai from Mulliyawalai are delighted to be identified as “folk artistes”. They still continue to perform when chances are given.

“I began to dance Karagam, when I was 16 year old. I am 78 year old now, still I dance Karagam. It is a duty of all of us to preserve the folk art” says Ramupillai Murugupillai from Mulliyawalai.

The older generation of folk artistes from the North is highly worried that the unique traditional art forms are “nearly” and "quickly" disappearing from the community.

"We have great history of arts, dance and music which are deeply interconnected with our history, culture and religious rituals. We should not lose our tradition and it values. They need to be preserved for many generations” shares Santhirasegaram Sivasithambaram from Mulliyawalai.

Magudi Aattam is hardly known among the people

"It's sad to note that our Tamil folk art traditions which are dying off from the practice. We have to work hard to preserve it from disappearing" says Eroshan Puviraj, Student of Engineering faculty, University of Moratuwa.

The prolonged war has left us with nothing. There is an urgent need to preserve our values, unique tradition and practices from disappearing.

The most pronounced gender disparities exist in our region ~ Pakistan High Commissioner Seema Baloch

2011-10-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

South Asian Women in Media ~ Sri Lanka chapter was formed in 2009

SAWM Sri Lanka Chapter has organised a seminar “Women as Partners in South Asian Democracy” to celebrate its second anniversary. The seminar was held on 8th of September 2011 at Hotel Renuka in Colombo.

The following is the speech which was delivered by the Guest of Honour, Her Excellency Seema Baloch, High Commissioner for Pakistan in Sri Lanka. She delivered her speech on the topic of "Women in South Asia, Leaders unEqual".

Guest of Honour, Her Excellency Seema Baloch, High Commissioner for Pakistan in Sri Lanka addressing the gathering at SAWM event in Colombo

The women of South Asia must be proud, because our land can boast of some of the greatest women leaders of our times. Sirimavo Bandaranayake, Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhotto, Husina Wajid, Khleda Zia, the most able and dynamic women leaders on the globe were from our soil. But, the women of South Asia, experience some of the gravest injustices done to women. And while we have the greatest women leaders, we remain unequal in our societies.

In our land of many contradictions, a land of many opportunities and many challenges, it gives me great pleasure to share with you some thoughts on women in South Asia. And I will begin at home – my home. Both my grandmothers received only elementary education enabling them to read and write in Urdu and to read the Quran in Arabic. They lived in a world with many children and their household was their entire world. My maternal grandmother had a passion for education and fulfilled her dream by ensuring that her six daughters graduate. Today, women in our family are doctors, lawyers, consultants, business women and diplomats. I am sure you have similar experiences in your families.

And when I look around today at you at my other women colleagues at my friends, it fills me with great joy that in the last 50~70 years the women of South Asia have taken great strides forward. But we are the privileged few. The few who were born into the right household, households with resources. We were fortunate to be born in families who were willing to impart education to girls willing to empower their girls. Some of us have struggled more than others to be here today. And all of us should be rightly proud of what we have achieved.

I say this because when you look beyond at women in South Asia, there still is a long way to go, to empower them to be even as unequal as we are.

The most pronounced gender disparities exist in our region. For decades women, in South Asia have lacked behind men, either treated as commodities or second class citizens. Patriarchal social values are deeply rooted. These values continue to define gender relations within households and across society, resulting in the disempowerment of women in many areas of their lives. Women representation in the economic and political spheres remains very low. Violence against women (VAW) and trafficking in women are of deep concern. Inadequate access to economic opportunities, to education, to the political domain push them into a vicious cycle of subjugation and deprivation.

When Amartya Sen, the nobel prize winning development economist spoke about gender disparities in South Asia, he recounted an experience he had in Cambridge. The river had iced over. A friend asked him to walk across. He refused. His friend did attempt to cross over and fell in. He was rescued because in some places in that sheet of ice there were holes. His friend was pulled out of that hole. Amartya Sen uses this as a metaphor for gender disparities in South Asia. Like the sheet of ice gender disparities are widespread and pervasive. There are however, some openings. Some women can and do use them to rise up through them but the majority are under the sheet of icy discrimination.

On the one hand traditions, patriarchal societies, interpretation of religious beliefs, dis~empower women socially, economically politically. A girl grows up knowing she is a second class citizen in her own home and in her own country. Parents’ preference is for boys, the bread earners who will also bring a dowry in marriage.

On the other hand, girls and women are not provided equal opportunities in access to education, access to employment, access to credit, and access to the political domains. More importantly, there is inadequate national legislation to protect the rights of women. Politics is considered a male domain. Politics is considered dirty. Politics is considered the domain of political families and dynastic control is considered normal.

Yet there are women who have emerged through these holes in the ice. All around me in Sri Lanka I see women entrepreneurs who have shined – ODEL, Barefoot are known as tourist favourites. They belong to women. Lever Brothers in Pakistan is headed by a woman, Pepsi’s head worldwide is an Indian woman. We have nine women Ambassadors in Colombo including from the countries China and the USA. This is no mean achievement for women at the beginning of the 21st century.

The Solution

Martin Luther King knew and advocated that “social reform does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability”. There must be a conscious effort by the individuals and a some of individuals to change their status in life, to push through the glass ceiling, to create new holes in that layer of ice, to pull women out of the icy waters and give them a life of their own. We need to create more spaces and expand existing ones for women to be individuals in their own right, to be empowered socially, economically, politically. We need new breakthroughs everyday in every field.

How can we create these breakthroughs? In my view, there are two areas which can be pivotal in creating these breakthroughs, in creating an environment which eventually empowers women, which equips them to fight and to overcome the social and economic injustices and inequalities:~

Politics
Media

Pakistan makes an excellent case study.

The Speaker of our National Assembly is a woman, as is our Foreign Minister. The President of our Supreme Court Bar Council is a woman and we have a strong presence of women in media as political analysts and TV anchors.

How have these women excelled despite the odds? They have excelled because each one of them has made a conscious effort to make a place for themselves. Undoubtedly, these women have worked hard to be where they are but political will has been equally critical for carving out spaces, for them.

Women politicians can be instrumental in introducing legislation for women to protect them, within societies, within families from violence, from trafficking from economic and social exploitation. Women legislators can be instrumental in helping women to enter new areas of employment.

In Pakistan, the system of the reserved seats for women in legislative assemblies has existed in one form or the other since its creation.

Of the 342 seats in the National Assembly, women have 22% of those seats (as compared to 5.8% in Sri Lanka). In the upper house or Senate, women make up 17% of the parliamentary seats.

In local government presently 33% seats are reserved for women and a total of 36,191 women have been elected to local councils. Pakistan has a higher representation of women in its parliament compared to the UK, the USA, India and many other countries.

The presence of women in the national legislative bodies has resulted in the passage of important bills for women:~

The Women Protection Bill 2006

Protection Against harassment of women at workplace Bill 2009 ~ January 2010

This combination of institutional reform enabling legislation and a conscious effort of the individual can and does have positive results.

Let me share with you some of my own experience: Women were not allowed in the Foreign Service of Pakistan till 1973. Administrative reforms by the then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto created the space for women. Now Pakistan has 13 women Ambassadors present in all continents of the world. We learnt the hard way; we had no role models to follow. But we learnt to make a place for ourselves, sometimes by being firm and assertive and sometimes by being flexible. We were new in an entirely male domain and we were being watched. That was 1977. But even today every day poses a new challenge, and every challenge requires a different response.

The choice is, should we cede to what is expected of a woman in our “cultural norms”, or should we push the boundary or should we break the boundary. Recently Iftars for Muslim community were held in Colombo. At a number of these events separate tables were laid for women in the dining area – mostly in a remote and almost hidden corner of the room. Since I am the only woman Ambassador from a Muslim country, there was an attempt to lead me to those tables. Out of politeness and respect I am sure. Quietly but firmly I would head to the table with my other Ambassador colleagues soon, the message became clear. I must be treated like other Ambassadors ~ no more, no less.

In addition to political reforms, and personal determination, the role of the media is equally critical as it influences perceptions of women.

When I look at newspapers in our countries, I ask where are the women. I find them mostly in advertisements or in the social pages. The professional women, the business women, the rural women are almost invisible. The media unfortunately plays a negative role by projecting stereotype roles for women.

Contemporary advertisements continue to show women either in traditional roles of the devoted wife and mother, the subservient daughter or daughter in law or a showpiece, an icon of glamour. Whether it is an advertisement for a pain killer or a car, a woman’s presence in the sequence is considered essential for the product to “sell”. This depiction as a commercial commodity is degrading.

Indecent posters and hoardings displayed everywhere are crude reminders of distorted images and attitudes towards women. And the media influences the perception of its readers and its viewers. It perpetuates inequalities into the home. It reinforces biases in development plans. It ignores the economic contribution and participation of women especially the rural women.

A woman who is raped makes sensational news, but is there any follow~up in the media to ensure that she gets justice? The media needs to fight for the just cause of women.

The Media needs to highlight the positives. Let us not stereotype ourselves because every time we do that we get caught in this vicious cycle of disempowerment. Let us focus on what women have achieved, big or small. We need to inspire other women; we need to motivate other women. We need to set examples and create spaces for our daughters and our new generations.

Conclusion

When will we the women of South Asia truly be more equal? I am sure that is a question on your minds. It surely is on mine.

And my honest answer is I do not know. I do know that it will happen. I do know it will happen when women will push the boundaries to enter into politics in their own right as individuals, when more girls are educated, when there are more economic opportunities open to women, when there is adequate legislation for women by women.

I am sure that it will happen and when it does, the women of South Asia will fare well because the women of South Asia, as they push their boundaries will also retain their value systems to uphold the family, to be the pillars on which their households stand firm, to be the ones who nurture and raise their families to be rooted in our soil and yet fly with the modern age.

It is a tough call, but a call that we are capable of fulfilling. To quote Paulo Coelho“a warrior knows that war is made of many battles; he goes on.....”.

And so must we, the women of South Asia go on to be more equal. And we too need to go on through each battle with courage, with determination and with our eyes on our goals.

Above all, we the women of South Asia must not loose hope because from this land of many contradictions related to our gender, I am confident we will emerge stronger, wiser and more confident to become excellent role models for our future generations.

To the women I say ~ break through that sheet of ice.
To the men I say – Help us to make more holes in that sheet of ice.

Audience at the event

Professor.Savitri Goonesekere , Former Vice Chancellor University of Colombo Guest of Honour and Her Excellency Seema Baloch, High Commissioner for Pakistan in Sri Lanka at the SAWM event in Colombo

Audience at the event

Lifestyles of Jaffna ~ Rare Exhibition Showcases the Richness of Tradition

2011-09-24T06:02:00.000-07:00

Kolam ~ Traditional design made with variety of grains

Lifestyles of Jaffna is currently being held at the Faculty of Arts, University of Jaffna. Artifacts collected from the people of Jaffna are on display. The unique exhibition will continue till 27th of September 2011 from 9am to 4pm. There are research papers read by the Tamil and Sinhala scholars from Sri Lanka and India during a seminar held simultaneously in Jaffna.

Views from the Lifestyles of Jaffna site:~

“The exhibition is an eye opener. I gained more knowledge about our unique heritage after viewing the exhibition. Although, I am student of arts, I did not know much about our unique heritage. The exhibition paved way to learn more. We ought to preserve our precious heritage” shares Rasapatham Karunanithy, third year student of Arts at the University of Jaffna.

“We, Jaffna Tamils are unique in every way such as dresses, festivals, food, handicrafts and rituals. But due to the prolonged war, we have lost many of our traditional items and values” shares Gowry Karunakaran with frustration.

“Efforts to have an exhibition such as this is appreciative, because it gives a chance for knowledge transformation about uniqueness and traditional cultural aspects of Tamil of Jaffna Peninsula. And this effort has to be an ongoing process” shares Balachandran Nirooparaj from Jaffna.

Cow dung, turmeric and wheat flour are used to make the traditional design

Traditional decoration to welcome

Traditional welcome for the chief guest and invitees

The Chief Guest, Director General of Archaeological Department Dr. Senarath Dissanayake declares open the Lifestyles of Jaffna

Viewers getting involved in the products on display

Exhibits are displayed in Jaffna

Chief Guest, Director General of Archaeological Department Dr. Senarath Dissanayake views the exhibition

Vintage car is parked at the exhibition site

School children are viewing the unique exhibition

Archeological sites in Jaffna

A Return To Sri Lanka ~ A Travelling Exhibition

2011-09-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

Portrait of a young Sri Lankan woman ~ 1880s ~ Charles T. Scowen And Co

The Coming of Photography

Goldsmiths at work in Jaffna ~ 1880s ~ W. L. H. Skeen And Co

Covering nearly 300 years of Sri Lankan history, "A Return to Sri Lanka" is a rare opportunity to see a unique selection of over 150 images drawn from the collections of the British Library, the Victoria and Albert Museums, the Natural History Museum in London and the National Museum in Colombo. Through manuscripts, maps, prints, drawings, photographs and other artefacts, the exhibition illustrates how the island has inspired both visiting and local artists to document its peoples, landscapes and cultures. The exhibition covers images of Sri Lanka from British Collections 1640 ~ 1900.

Maps by Pedro Resende Barreto ~ From 1635 ~ 1835

Map of the Island of Ceylon ~ 1835 ~ Pedro Resende Barreto

Plan of Jaffna ~ 1635 ~ Pedro Resende Barreto

Plan of Trincomalee ~ 1635 ~ Pedro Resende Barreto

Plan of Batticaloa ~ 1635 ~ Pedro Resende Barreto

Plan of Kalutara ~ 1635 ~ Pedro Resende Barreto

European fascination with Sri Lanka was initially stimulated by its strategic position in the struggle for colonial dominance in South Asia and as the source of many of the immensely profitable spices for which European trading companies competed. With increasing familiarity, Europeans also slowly became aware of ~ and attempted to record—both the beauty of the island and its rich cultural heritage, in fields as diverse as archaeology and natural history. During these centuries, a thriving market with European customers also developed for the products of Sri Lanka’s own vibrant artistic traditions. The long story of interaction between Europe and Sri Lanka has resulted in a rich and varied legacy of images which provide a fascinating insight into the island’s history during the colonial period.

A Jaffna barber’s shop ~ 1880s ~ Unknown Photographer

"A Return to Sri Lanka" brings a choice selection of this common heritage to a Sri Lankan audience in the form of digital facsimiles of material held in several major British collections.

Eugen Von Ransonnet ~ Villez ~ Ransonnet’s diving bell used to sketch submarine life near Galle ~ 1867

Admission is free and the exhibition will visit four major cities in the island between September and November 2011. The venues and schedules for the display are as follows:~

Colombo ~ Lionel Wendt Gallery ~ From 14th September 2011 ~ 28th September 2011
Jaffna ~ Jaffna Public Library ~ From 5th October 2011 ~ 19th October 2011
Kandy ~ Kandy City Centre ~ From 24th October ~ 6th November 2011
Galle ~ Galle Municipal Council ~ From 11th November 2011 ~ 24th November 2011

New and correct map of the Island of Ceylon ~ 1822 ~ Captain Gualterus Schneider

This exhibition is funded by the World Collections Programme and produced by the British Library and the British Council. The World Collections Programme is a UK Government funded initiative to foster bilateral links between UK cultural institutions and partner organisations in Asia and Africa, to facilitate greater access to collections and to make British collections available to a wide international audience. At the end of its tour the exhibition will be gifted to the Ministry of Heritage to make it more widely available to a Sri Lankan audience.

Viewers at the unique exhibition

A Water Carrier ~ 1806 ~ Samuel Daniell

Kandy Perahera ~ Mid 19th Century ~ Unknown Sri Lankan Artist

Lifestyles of Jaffna ~ An Exhibition to Preserve Our History and Heritage

2011-09-15T05:13:00.000-07:00

Traditional Foods of Jaffna

Traditional Dress and Jewellery of Jaffna

This Exhibition is planned to showcase all possibly available ancient goods and facts, which expose and prove the historical facts about the ancient people of Jaffna Peninsula, their ancient homes and residences, style and process of their life, population and inhabitation.

Traditional Houses in the Peninsula

Eco Friendly Fences in Jaffna

The recent goods and their images and photos which prove the ancestry of the Jaffna Peninsula, hereditary culture etc. are exhibited according to periodical order.
Most of the exhibited goods, images, sculptures, symbols, facts, etc. are collected by the students of the Jaffna University, by visiting various parts of the Jaffna Peninsula. The ancient goods including sculptures, images etc from the University Museum are also exhibited. The ancient goods discovered in archaeological excavations are also exhibited.

Ruins in Kantharodai

Seminars will be conducted at the Arts Faculty of the University during the days of the Exhibition. Indian Scholars ~ namely, Professors MS. Rajan, Selva Kumar, Adiyaman, and Doctor Rajagopal, More than fifteen Scholars from the universities in Southern part of the country will submit their research papers at the seminar.
Dr. Senerath Dissanayake, the Director General of Archaeological Department will be present as the Chief Guest at the inaugural ceremony of the Exhibition. Professor Vasanthy Arasaratnam – Vice Chancellor of the University of Jaffna will be the Honorary Guest. The exhibition will be held from 24th September 2011 ~ 27th September 2011 at the Faculty of Arts of University of Jaffna, from 9am ~ 4.30pm. "Lifestyles of Jaffna" is conducted by the Faculty of Arts of University of Jaffna in collaboration with Kalaikesari Tamil magazine.

Kingdom of Nallur

The ancient goods and items to be exhibited are:~

*The drainage and water supply systems and agricultural implements
*Systems of structures, temples, houses and sculptures, ancient fishing systems and implements
*Techniques of producing ancient implements made with iron, copper,etc
*Furniture and domestic implements
*Methods of producing palmyrah goods and food items
*Techniques of building boats, bullock carts,etc
*Traditional food items
*Educational systems in ancient Jaffna Peninsula,etc
*Dialects in the Jaffna Peninsula

Traditional Occupations in the Peninsula

Bull Cart Race in the Peninsula

Keerimalai ~ Naguleswaram is one of famous five Lord Sivan temples in Sri Lanka

Traditional Household Items of Jaffna

தினக்குரல் பத்திரிகையாளர்கள் வெளியேற்றப்பட்டனர்; முகத்துவாரம் பொலிசில் முறைப்பாடு

2011-09-14T02:23:00.000-07:00

ஊழியர்களுக்கான அறிவித்தல் ~ 13.09.2011

ஊழியர்களுக்கான அறிவித்தல் ~ 12.09.2011

தினக்குரல் ஆசிரிய பீடத்தின் 25 பத்திரிகையாளர்கள் இன்று புதன்கிழமை காரியாலயத்தினுள் நுழைய அனுமதிக்கப்படாமல் ஏஷியன் மீடியா பப்ளிகேஷன்ஸ் பிரைவேட் நிர்வாகத்தினால் வீதியில் நிறுத்தப்பட்டதையடுத்து சட்டவிரோதமாகத் தாங்கள் வேலையில் இருந்து தடுக்கப்பட்டிருப்பதாகக் கொழும்பு முகத்துவாரம் பொலிஸ் நிலையத்தில் அவர்கள் புகார் செயதிருக்கிறார்கள் .

நிர்வாகத்தின் வற்புறுத்தலுக்கு அடிபணிய மறுத்து இதுவரை ராஜினாமாக் கடிதங்களைக் கொடுக்காத தினக்குரல் 25 பத்திரிகையாளர்களே இவ்வாறு இன்று வீதியில் நிறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளார்கள்.

இதேசமயம், தினக்குரல் ஊழியர்கள் கொழும்பு தொழில் திணைக்களத்தில் தம் மீதான ராஜினாமா வற்புறுத்தல் குறித்தும் வேலைக்கு அனுமதிக்கப்படாமை குறித்தும் முறைப்பாடு செய்துள்ளார்கள். இதனையடுத்து இது விடயத்தில் விளக்கமளிக்க வருமாறு தொழில் திணைக்களத்தின் உதவிப் ஆணையாளர் விக்கிரமசிங்க ஏஷியன் மீடியா பப்ளிகேஷன்ஸ் பிரைவேட் நிறுவனத்தின் பணிப்பாளர் பி . கேசவராஜாவை அழைத்த போதிலும் இன்று தனக்கு நேரம் இல்லை என்று மறுத்து விட்டார். இதனையடுத்து நாளைய தினம் இந்த சந்திப்பும் பிணக்கு தீர்க்கும் கூட்டமும் நடைபெறவிருக்கிறது.

தினக்குரல் பப்ளிகேஷன் நிறுவனத்தை வாங்கிய வீரகேசரி நிறுவனம் (ஏஷியன் மீடியா பப்ளிகேஷன் நிறுவனம்) தினக்குரல் பத்திரிகையை ஜூன் 30ஆம் திகதியிலிருந்து நடத்தி வருகிறது. வெளியேற்றப்பட்ட 25 பத்திரிகையாளர்களும் கடந்த 2 மாதங்கள் 13 நாட்கள் ஏஷியன் மீடியா பப்ளிகேஷன்ஸ் பிரைவேட் நிறுவனத்திற்காகப் பணியாற்றியிருக்கிறார்கள். ஏஷியன் மீடியா பப்ளிகேசன்ஸ் பிரைவேட் நிறுவனத்திலிருந்தே அவர்களுக்குச் சம்பளமும் வழங்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.

ஆனால், தினக்குரல் நிறுவனத்திலிருந்து விலகுவதாக ராஜினாமாக் கடிதங்களைச் சமர்ப்பிக்கும் ஊழியர்களுக்கு மட்டுமே, ஏஷியன் மீடியா பப்ளிகேஷன்ஸ் பிரைவேட் நிறுவனத்தினால் நியமனக் கடிதம் வழங்கப்படும் என்ற நிபந்தனையை வீரகேசரி நிறுவனம் விதித்திருக்கிறது. தினக்குரலைச் சிறிது காலத்தில் மூடுகின்ற சந்தர்ப்பத்தில் தினக்குரல் ஊழியர்களுக்குப் பெரும் தொகை நஷ்ட ஈடு வழங்க வேண்டி இருக்கும் என்பதாலேயே முன் எச்சரிக்கையாக அவர்களிடம் இருந்து ராஜினாமாக் கடிதங்களைப் பெறுவதில் நிர்வாகம் உறுதியாக இருந்து வந்தது. ராஜினாமாக் கடிதங்களைச் சமர்ப்பிப்பதற்கு இன்று புதன்கிழமை வரை காலக்கெடு விதித்திதிருந்த ஏஷியன் மீடியா பப்ளிகேஷன்ஸ் பிரைவேட் நிறுவனம் 25 பத்திரிகையாளர்களும் ராஜினாமாக் கடிதங்களைச் சமர்ப்பிக்காததால் அவர்களைக் காரியாலயத்தினுள் நுழைய அனுமதிக்கவில்லை. அத்துடன் செய்தி ஆசிரியர் மற்றும் பத்திரிகையாளர்களுக்கான பதவி வெற்றிட விண்ணப்ப அறிவித்தல்களை ஏஷியன் மீடியா பப்ளிகேஷன் பிரைவேட் நிறுவனம் வெளியிட்டிருக்கிறது.

Remembering a Remarkable Poet

2011-09-11T05:17:00.000-07:00

"We will destroy the idiocy
Of denigrating womanhood" ~ Mahakavi Subramaniya Bhaarathiyaar, (11 December 1882 ~11 September 1921), (Tamil Poet, Reformer and Freedom Fighter who supported the women and their rights)

Statue of Great Tamil poet Mahakavi Subramaniya Bhaarathiyaar stands tall in Jaffna Peninsula, North of Sri Lanka

Today is Mahakavi Subramaniya Bhaarathiyaar’s 90th death anniversary. He was very well known for his passionate poems and his active role in Indian independence movement. He was and still known as people’s poet and freedom fighter. Bharathiyaar has written many poems on women’s freedom, caste and patriotism.

Bharathiyaar was prolific and adept in both the prose and poetry forms. Bharathiyaar was a symbol of courage, knowledge and resilience. He was born on 11th December 1882 into an orthodox Brahmin family in Ettayapuram in Tamil Nadu, India and died on 11th September 1921. Bharathiyaar’s father wanted him to learn English, excel in Arithmetic and become an Engineer. But, Bharathiyaar had another dream to discover. He became a poet and activist. His poetry expressed progressive and reformist ideas. He was very passionate about Tamil language. He did not believe in caste system. His thick black mustache and neatly worn white turban are permanent symbols of மகா கவி மக்கள் கவி (Great Poet = People's Poet).

மகாகவி சுப்ரமணிய பாரதியாரின் தமிழ்க் கையெழுத்து
Signature of Mahakavi Subramaniya Bhaarathiyaar in Tamil

He got married to his cousin Sellammaal at the age of 14 in 1897. Bharathiyaar composed an instant poem for his wife Sellammaal.

"You are the veenai to me; I am the finger that strums the tuned string,
You are the pendant adorning my neck; I’m your new diamond sparkling.
Wherever I look, what do I see but the blazing lustre of your regal eye?
Your esteemed highness, my QUEEN, you are the bedrock of my life".

He has penned many patriotic poems

His KuyilPaattu is still famous among many of us:~

“In the crow’s black feather, Nanda Lala,
I see your duskiness, Nanda La La.
In every green tree that I see, Nanda La La,
I see your divine colour, Nanda La La.
In every sound that I hear, Nanda La La,
I hear the sound of your music, Nanda La La.
In the touch of a fire, Nanda La La,
I feel the thrill of touching you, Nanda La La".

A Crow sits on a Cow in the Nallur temple vicinity early in the morning

Flocks of crows neatly sit on power cables in Jaffna at dusk

ஆயிரம் உண்டிங்கு சாதி, எனில் அன்னியர் வந்து புகழென்ன நீதி? ~ We may have thousand of sects; that, however, does not justify a foreigner to come and preach us justice! He is dearly loved and his passionate poems are often remembered remarkably by many Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Flocks of crows dance in the skies of Jaffna at dusk

The nature of the Norwegian participation in the Sri Lankan Peace Process

2011-09-10T02:23:00.000-07:00

Dusk during winter in Norway

History of the Conflict

It is not very clear to all of us, when did the Sri Lankan conflict begin? Some analysts say that the conflict started in 1956, with the introduction of the Sinhala only act in the country, which led to communal uprisings. Some other analysts say that the conflict began in 1983 after the Black July, which killed many thousands of innocent Tamils in the city of Colombo and suburbs, and their properties were destroyed by the Sinhala mobs. And some other analysts argue it is an ethnic conflict.

“The Sri Lankan Civil War is the name given to the ongoing conflict on the island-nation of Sri Lanka. Since 23 July 1983, there has been on-and-off civil war predominantly between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers), a separatist armed organization which fights for the creation of an independent state named Tamil Eelam in the North and the East of the island” according to some political analysts.

Sri Lanka’s current population is 21,128,773 according to the 2008 census, which is expected to reach upto 23 million by 2030 according to a recent survey. Out of this figure more than 70,000 people have been officially listed as killed due to the conflict after 1983. After the 1983 Black July, many young Tamils left the country. The war continued in the North and East of the country. There had been three attempts made to reinstate peace in Sri Lanka including the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987, which ended in 1990.

Ceasefire was declared in December 2001. The then Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) signed a ceasefire agreement on 22nd of February 2002 with the Norwegian mediation. The ceasefire was observed by both parties with the help of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, which consisted foreign monitors from Nordic countries, who were based in North and East to monitor the ceasefire. The hostilies renewed in 2005. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were driven out of entire Eastern province. After winning the battle of the East, the Government of Sri Lanka has shifted it’s offensive against the LTTE in the North. At the same time the Government had officially announced the withdrawal from the Ceasefire Agreement on 2nd of January 2008.As a result of the current conflict the Government has captured 98% of the territory which was controlled by the LTTE for more than a decade. The United States of America, European Union, Japan and Norway have jointly issued a statement on 3rd of February 2009, urging the LTTE to lay down their arms and end hostilities.

Norways’ Role in other countries

Norway has been an active supporter of the peace efforts in two decade long conflict in Southern Sudan along with the United States of America and the United Kingdom.
Norway has played a central role in Middle Eastern conflict between Isreal and Palestine. As a result of this, a peace agreement was signed between Israel and Palestine in 1993, now Norway is actively promoting the implementation of the Roadmap for Peace.
A peace agreement was signed in Oslo in 1996 to settle the Guatemalan conflict.

Norway’s role in Sri Lankan Conflict

Parliament on Norway

Norway’s Motto is Alt for Norge / Alt for Noreg (Everything for Norway).Norway is known as a peaceful country, and a peace maker. Norway has experience through World War II.Norway has a rapid economic growth. Norway is a wealthy country, and the fourth largest oil exporter in the world. It was the second largest exporter of seafood in 2006.

Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway

Norway was rated the most peaceful country in the world by Global Peace Index in 2007. And, Norway was ranked the highest in human development from 2001 to 2006. Norway shares the frist place with Iceland from 2007 to 2008.
Kingdom of Norway has 4,805,437 people according to the census carried out on 29th of January 2009. The country is richly endowed with natural resources such as petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests and minerals.

There are 13,063 Sri Lankan Tamils living in Norway, which is 0.27% of the total population. The Sri Lankan Tamils, who are living in Norway are taking part in local politics, and they are very infulential. It’s also believed that the LTTE wanted Norwegian Government to mediate, because the Sri Lankan Tamils had an influence in Norwegian politics.

Yazhdevi Restaurant run by the Jaffna Tamils in Oslo, Norway

The then Government led by the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremasinghe invited Norway to mediate the peace process in Sri Lanka. Ranil Wickremasinghe campaigned for pro peae during his election campaign in 2001. He won the election with sweeping majority. As a result, a Memorumdum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ranil Wickremasinghe and the Leader of the LTTE Velupillai Pirabakaran with the help of Norwegian Government. The economic embargo in the LTTE controlled areas was lifted, A9 highway from Jaffna to Kandy was reopened for civilians. Civilians were allowed to travel through Vanni for the first time in history.Many such as journalists, students, religious leaders, businessmen, and tourists enjoyed the journey on A9 highway. Most of the non ~ Tamil speaking travellers went to Jaffna for the first time by A9 highway during the ceasefire period. Commercial flights to Jaffna began their operations soon after the ceasefire agreement was signed. The ban on the LTTE was lifted in August 2002. The Government and the LTTE exchanged Prisoners of War (POW) for the first time in the history of Sri Lanka.

The Royal Norwegian facilitators have assisted the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to negotiate for a ceasefire. Norway has aslo co~ordinated the donors to support the Sri Lankan peace process. And, contributed to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, which used to monitor the ceasefire agreement.
There had been six rounds of peace talks held between the Government and the LTTE. The peace process stalled on 21st of April 2003, when the LTTE announced that they are suspending the further talks due to some displeasure of handling certain critical issues such as excluding the LTTE in Washington talks and peace dividends such as security withdrawals were not met. But according to many reports published the LTTE maintained the fact that, they were committed for a negotiated settlement to the two decade long conflict.During the ceasefire period Norwegian Peace Envoy Erik Solheim visited Sri Lanka many times and held talks with the Government and the LTTE in Vanni.

Norwegian’s role is criticised

The flag of Royal Norway was burnt in front of the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo by some Buddhist monks on 9th of Februaray 2004, in protest of the peace process with the LTTE. There had been constant attacks on Norway’s role in the anti~peace media. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) continued to attack Norway for its sincere role in peace making, and held protests islandwide. There had been enough hate speech in the media by the anti~peace activists that “Norway is selling the country to the LTTE”. There had been numerous incidents to sling mud on Norway’s sincere effort to end the conflict in Sri Lanka.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, of the Marxist JVP, or People's Liberation Front, told reporters that the Norwegians would be "an unfair facilitator".

"We have the example of Israeli-Palestine conflict. The Norwegian
brokering there had not led to any peace", Dissanayake said.

But the independent newspaper, The Island, was also disparaging of any role by Oslo.

"The Norwegian government has shown itself to be very partial towards the LTTE and this was the reason why their mediation efforts made earlier failed," it said it an editorial Friday.

“Norway has been facilitator and not a dictator in this peace process” Former Norwegian Special Envoy Erik Solheim quoted as saying.

“It is very positive that the parties have agreed to meet at a high level to discuss how to improve the serious security situation” said the Norwegian Minister of International Development Erik Solheim.

“Norway in its role as facilitator will do its best to help the parties to find a practical solution to relieve the pressure the ceasefire has come under. The parties are taking a small but very significant step towards putting the peace process back on a positive track” added Solheim.

Norway’s mediation role was mainly criticed by the pro~war elements such as JVP and JHU. Continuous reports of anti~peace efforts were available in public domain, criticising the Norwegian efforts to restore peace in war torn Sri Lanka. There had been posters pasted in Sinhala on the walls in Colombo and suburbs during the peace process, which gave a negative picture of the Norwegian facilitation. Even the helicopter service provided by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission to airlift the LTTE representatives to go abroad for peace talks, which was facilitated by the Norwegian Government was continuously criticised.

Amidst the criticisms, the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse requested Norway to continue mediating with the LTTE. It was being speculated by various elements that, Norway was paving way to the LTTE to raise funds in other countries, although LTTE was banned in United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, Japan, European Union and Brazil.

Difficult Task

It was not an easy task, which was carried out by the Norwegian Government. They had to face several hardships in bringing both the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to the same table for talks. As mediators, they encouraged discussion between both parties.

The LTTE informed the Norwegian mediators, that they would not accept the ceasefire monitors from European Union countries, which banned the LTTE. The Norwegian mediators had to handle this issue with the LTTE very tactfully.

"The European Union, despite the imposition of the ban, has taken the position that they will continue to engage with the LTTE as far as the peace process is concerned," said Late Ketesh Loganathan, the Deputy Head of the Government Peace Secretariat. "So, we see this as no reason as to why the monitors who are from the EU countries cannot function".

The Norwegian mediators managed the situation amidst attacks in the media. There had been new reports filed saying that, Norway was interested in oil resource which was available in Mannar. Therefore, Norway had an economic interest in Sri Lanka, and they were not genuinely engaged in settling the conflict.

Does Norway Support Terrorism?

A few anti~peace activists alleged Norway as supporting terrorism in Sri Lanka. The have accused the Norwegians were supporting the LTTE financially, and Norway was partial towards the LTTE. Norwegians were blamed by the hard~line politicians as they had a “soft corner” for the LTTE.

Many allegations were made against the Norwegian Government that, Norway has provided Radio transmitting devices to the LTTE during the ceasefire period. Former President of Sri Lanka Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has sent a six paged letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik.

Former President of Sri Lanka Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s letter to the Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremasinghe states “I am unable to agree with you that "the acquisition of an FM radio transmission facility would enhance the peace process". In fact, it may well have the opposite effect as widespread public agitation over the whole episode reveals. I understand that the LTTE transmissions which commenced on January 16th include LTTE songs and music, and eulogies of the LTTE''s martial history. This could have a disturbing effect on the public mood for peace. We must also be sensitive to the legitimate concerns of our neighbours”. Nevertheless, the LTTE managed to expand its radio station named “Voice of Tigers known as VOT)”. The LTTE used its radio station as a propaganda tool, which broadcasts eight hours daily in Tamil and Sinhala. A website for the radio was launched later during the ceasefire period. The Embassy of Norway in Colombo was blamed for this development, as it used its diplomatic privilege to import the radio transmitting equipments with concessions.

Gustav Vigeland Park in Norway

Pressure on LTTE

After 9/11 attack in United States of America in 2001, there had been continuous pressure from various sides on the LTTE to enter into negotiations. Tamil Diaspora played a major role in convincing the LTTE for negotiations with the Government of Sri Lanka. On the other hand many countries were considering the ban on the LTTE as well as a result of the 9/11 attack.

Split in the LTTE

In 2004, the Eastern Commander of the LTTE Colonel Karuna (Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan) has decided to leave the organization along with considerable number of cadres, which was an irreplaceable loss to the LTTE. The reasons sited by him for leaving the organization were, of development was carried out by the LTTE during the ceasefire period, and the cadres from the East were not taken care of by the leader and the organisation.

Will India replace Norway?

When Norway’s role is continuously criticized, speculation spreads whether India will intervene in the internal conflict of Sri Lanka. Although the question remains unanswered, but many of us do not fail to realize that India is not ready to burn its fingers again. India’s role in peace keeping in Sri Lanka during 1987 to 1990 was not welcome by very many Sri Lankans.

Political parties such as Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, and Jathika Hela Urumaya may like the Indian role, but the LTTE will definitely not welcome it. But the question arises whether the Sri Lankan conflict can be resolved without the LTTE. If not the LTTE, then who will represent the minority Tamils in Sri Lanka? Or do the Tamils trust the other Tamil political parties in Sri Lanka? These questions will remain unanswered.

Recent accusation by the JVP

The National Freedom Front (NFF), a party of the ruling coalition, urged the Government yesterday to sever its diplomatic relationships with Norway immediately charging that it had facilitated a discussion between UN Under~Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Sir John Holmes and LTTE’s arms procurement dealer Kumar Pathmanathan alias KP recently.

Quoting a military analyst, NFF President Wimal Weeranwansa told a news briefing on Thursday that Norway had accepted KP as the LTTE leader, and arranged his dialogue with Mr. Holmes.

Mr. Weerawansa said that KP was a person wanted by the Interpol for his arms smuggling activities for the LTTE, and he possessed 25 bogus passports.
“The UN has committed a serious offence by having links with an arms dealer. It is an act inimical to Sri Lanka. Norway has committed so many inimical acts against Sri Lanka. Therefore, we are asking the Government to sever its diplomatic relationships with this country” he said.

He said that Norway had helped the LTTE through this exercise, and it should make a statement in this regard immediately.
“Even the UN should make a statement” he said.
“If the LTTE lays down arms and surrenders, this war will end even tomorrow. So, it should be held responsible for the present crisis” Wimal Weerawansa further said.

Who will mediate?

If Norway is not invited to mediate the Sri Lankan peace process again, then who will be the third party to take the peace process forward? The Government is pushing the LTTE to corners, and will be able to negotiate for a political settlement later. By that time the LTTE will be weakened militarily and after losing territory, they will come for negotiations, this is the perception amongst many of us. But if the Government is going to persecute the hardcore LTTE leaders, then it is not yet clear with whom the negotiations will take place.

And, if the chances still stand, then will Norway be willing to negotiate the peace process again? Or will both parties trust Norway, especially the Government of Sri Lanka bearing all the accusations and allegations in its mind?

Genuine Effort

Norway entered into mediating the Sri Lankan peace process with genuine interest to resolve the conflict, and help to have a sustainable peace in the country. But, unfortunately the situation changed rapidly, and fragile peace led to war again.
Neither the Government of Sri Lanka nor the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has borne the cost of the peace process. All the cost during the peace process was borne by the Royal Norwegian Government. They were sincerely involved, and committed for a permanent settlement for the two decade long conflict. They neither had hidden agenda nor hidden interests in the country’s resources.

Magnificent sunset in Norway during winter

Variety of winter birds in Norway

The above research paper was written and submitted as an assignment on the topic of "Mediation" for the Diploma in Conflict Resolution: Skills Development conducted by Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) in 2009.

National Conference on Self ~ Regulation in the Media

2011-09-09T19:12:00.000-07:00

National Conference on Self Regulation in the Media was organised by the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka,held at Sri Lanka Press Institute on 7th of September 2011 & 8th of September 2011

“For Methods of Regulation let fools contend; for what is Best Administered is Best” (Adapted from Macaulay)

Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria ,an Attorney~at~Law and the Insurance Ombudsman, Sri Lanka making the key note address at the National Conference on Self Regulation in Media

I am indeed honored to participate at this First National Conference on the subject of Self Regulation in the Media. When I look at the distinguished audience, my concern is whether I am worthy to deliver this key-note address at this opening ceremony.

In the letter inviting me, the Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission (PCCSL), Mr. Kumar Nadesan referred to my “wide experience in field of regulation in the Banking Sector”. That qualification about the banking sector may be correct. When, in 2002, I returned to Sri Lanka from my position as a Law Teacher in Australia’s Monash University, I accepted a short assignment as a Consultant at our Reserve Bank, the Central Bank.

Financial Ombudsman scheme
In that job in February 2003, I persuaded the Central Bank and our Banking Industry to create the Financial Ombudsman Scheme on the English and Australian models. This was a landmark event because it was the first industry Ombudsman scheme in the country and it applied to all banks and financial institutions such as finance and leasing companies and primary dealers. Two years later in 2005, the Insurance industry followed suit and established the Insurance Ombudsman scheme. At their request, I became the first Insurance Ombudsman. It was in October 2003 that you established the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka which, in my humble view, is another Ombudsman Scheme.

Apart from the establishment of the above schemes, it is noteworthy that Sri Lanka’s first Ombudsman of modern time was the Parliamentary Ombudsman created by Article 156 of the 1978 Constitution. The Parliamentary Ombudsman hears disputes only relating to the public or state sector and submits an Annual Report to Parliament. In mid 2005 the Ministry of Finance and Planning on an initiative of its Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera set up a Tax Ombudsman who functions from that Ministry and in mid 2008 the Ministry of Tourism set-up an Ombudsman to hear any “tourist related disputes”.

Avoid the terms ‘complaints’ and ‘regulation’

Ladies & Gentlemen, the title of today’s talk was not selected by me. Rather it was given to me by you. At the very outset, I request that you consider avoiding the terms “Complaints” and “Regulation”. There are several reasons for saying this. Firstly you are readily admitting that the Press invariably gives rise to complaints. Second, you also admit that the Press needs to be regulated. Media Freedom is a must but what is required is a Socially Responsible and Ethical Media.
The Media should also be sensitive to the needs of Readers and it should maintain the highest standards of journalism. Hence, in my humble view, it is far better to use the term Media Ombudsman rather than Press Complaints Commission. That name you adopted in October 2003 and you copied it from the United Kingdom model. Today, as I showed earlier, Ombudsman Schemes are well recognized in Sri Lanka and all that is required for this name change is a resolution and a notice in the press. So please think about it.

Who or what is an “Ombudsman”

There may be just a handful of you who have not heard of the name or term, Ombudsman”. It originated not from England or the United States but from Europe, from Sweden to be exact. In 1804 Sweden set up the office of Ombudsman. “Ombudsman” is two words “Ombuds” meaning “people” and “mahn” meaning “person” – making up the “Peoples’ person”. A person who looks after the peoples’ complaints.
Duk Ganna Rala and King’s problems with the queen
History tells us that during the time of our own Kings, there was an Ombudsman in the King’s Palace or Court. He was called the “Duk Ganna Rala” – “The Person who Received the Complaints”. However, it appears that the complaints he received were only that of the King and invariably the King’s complaints related to his problems with the Queen! So in that sense, the Duk Ganna Rala was not a Peoples’ Ombudsman.

Agony aunt

The English concept of an “Agony Aunt” has also been equated in a social sense, to an Ombudsman. The Agony aunt was an unmarried (spinster) an elder sister of the husband or wife with whom the children could discuss issues rejected by the parents. They wept on her shoulder and she attempted settlement.

Dispute Resolution outside Arbitration and Litigation

Another reason why I was selected to speak today was my long experiences on the subject of Alternative Dispute Resolution and the experiences of the Financial an Insurance Ombudsman schemes and how they relate to the scheme adopted by the Press Complaints Commission.
People are clearly disenchanted with litigation where the real winners or beneficiaries are the lawyers who appear for both sides. Despite the saying that “justice delayed is justice denied” there is a very long delay in our court system. A case will normally take up to eight to ten years for a final conclusion. Hence, disputants looked to arbitration as an alternative to litigation but arbitration also now involves long delays mainly because of the involvement of lawyers who only appear in the afternoons after their normal Court work. Accordingly, there is a shift to other methods of resolving disputes such as the Ombudsman Schemes.

Similarities between Financial /Insurance /Media Ombudsman

There are many similarities between the Financial Ombudsman, the Insurance Ombudsman and the Press Complaints Commission or the Media Ombudsman which is the term I recommend.
• We are all voluntary bodies established by the respective industries.
• We all deal with and handle subjects that concern the general public.
• We are all established under our Companies legislation as a company limited by guarantee.
• We are all part of the Alternate Dispute Resolution Mechanism and yet our mediation and settlement of disputes is different from Arbitration and Litigation .
• The services of all three of us are free and expeditious. They are also easy to access and use without the hassles and delays of litigation.
• All Three schemes are supported by Codes of Conduct adopted by the industry. You have your Code of Professional Practice which every journalist should honour.
• Like in the case of the Financial and Insurance Ombudsman, where the complaint is first referred to the Bank or Insurance Company itself, in your case also the complaint is first referred to the newspaper concerned and only if they cannot resolve the matter, is it examined by an Arbitration Tribunal of your Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) and an Adjudication made.
• Also thankfully Lawyers are not welcome in all our three dispute resolution mediations.
• In mediating disputes, we do not have to abide by Rules of legal procedure and the law of evidence which governs litigation and even applies to Arbitration though to a very much lesser extent.
• Our decisions (whether you call them “Awards” or “Adjudications”) are respected by the industry that established us.
• All our three Schemes are not a burden on the Consolidated Fund and hence not a burden on the taxpayer.
• All three of us, issue annual reports of the disputes we have attempted to resolve and therefore our work is transparent.
• Hopefully, we all enjoy the confidence of the “Complainants” who come before us.

There are a few obvious differences between the schemes

(i) The main difference is that in both the Financial and Insurance Ombudsman Schemes, the complainant is seeking some monetary relief but in the PCCSL scheme there can be no monetary payment but a Right to Reply, Correction, Apology etc.
(ii) In both the Financial and Insurance Ombudsman Schemes, the complainant has the right to seek further redress before the State Regulators such as the Central Bank / Insurance Board or even before the Consumer Affairs Authority. This is provided by law. In your scheme, there is no such State authority other than the Press Council to which I will refer later.
(iii) While you have a possible reference to the High Court for Arbitration award if the newspaper declines to abide, in the Financial and Insurance schemes there is no such provision.
(iv) You say that your decision is final and conclusive and cannot be challenged in a court of law. We do not say this and in my view your assertion has no legal validity.
(v) Also, very significantly, the Finance and Insurance sector is strictly controlled by the State for example the Central Bank and the Insurance Board. A bank or insurer cannot operate unless you are a company and approved and licensed and you have a huge capital adequacy deposit. There is no similar requirement with the print media.

Hidden Value Addition of Voluntary Dispute Settlement

In my view, quite apart form any relief to the complainant, there is a great hidden value in All Three Schemes, namely they act as a watchdog or self appointed policeman of the particular industry. The staff in financial institutions and insurance companies now know about the Ombudsman. Some staff also refer disgruntled clients to the Ombudsman. As the Ombudsman I also give public talks and write articles to the media about the insurance industry. At times I am critical but they accept in the spirit in which I say, which is mainly to improve the industry.

Regulation of the Media

Now I turn to the topic of the regulation of the Media and what the Press Complaints Commission is doing in that direction. Without any hesitation or qualification I am of the view that the whole purpose of media is that it should be Free. As George Orwell said “it should even tell us what we do not want to hear”. In that sense, in my view Media should not be regulated. Having said that I want to outline a part of the sad history of our nation where the print media has been viciously interfered with by successive governments since the early 1970’s. An excellent recent text which documents this story is the 300 page book entitled “The Other War – (Sri Lankas recent struggle for media freedom) by Rajiv Weerasundera.
Relying on that book for my facts, I can state that regrettably, in Sri Lanka we have witnessed the following vicious ways of direct and indirect media regulation.
• Banning /Closing Down of Newspapers or creating a situation which forces the paper’s closure. (The Davasa Group)
• Killing of popular Journalists (Richard Zoysa) and Founder / Chief Editor of a paper. (Rohana Kumara, Satana / Lasantha Wickrematunge, Sunday Leader)
• Burning of Press (Sunday Leader), TV station (Sirasa)
• Seeing to it that Editors/Journalists disappear where no body (corpse) is found. Surprisingly, Police investigations are never completed.
• Death Threats and Intimidation of Journalist which makes them flee the country. (Iqbal Athas)
• “White Van” syndrome where Journalists are picked up and unmercifully beaten and dropped off. (Keith Noyahr) The muzzling of “recalcitrant” journalists.
• Death Threats and Intimidation of Journalists which “makes” them “write differently or ineffectively”. Journalists are coerced or won over to be loyal to the political elite and avoid critical or investigative journalism.
• Restriction of or increasing the Duty on Newsprint which is a basic necessity to publish papers. It is said that newsprint accounts for over 60% of the total cost of producing a newspaper in Sri Lanka in comparison to 25-30% in western nations.
• Restriction or Control of Advertisements.
• “Censorship” of News by “Competent Authorities”.
• Imposing and keeping in force “Emergency Regulations” which curtails a true free media because of a fear of offending the Regulations even indirectly.

The Colombo Declaration on Press Freedom and Social Responsibility as the Catalyst

Perhaps the most significant event of Free Media in Sri Lanka since our Independence in 1948 is the 1998 Colombo Declaration on Press Freedom and Social Responsibility.
That Declaration was revised in December 2008 and the published revision contains all that needs to be done including legislation to ensure a Free and Responsible Media. The original 1998 Declaration which was adopted after a four day conference in Colombo is supported by the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka: The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka, and Free Media Movement and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association.
The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI), the Sri Lanka College of Journalism (SLCJ), and the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka (PCCSL) were thereafter established as a direct outcome of the Colombo Declaration of 1998.
The Press Complaints Commission (PCCSL) of 2003
The PCCSL was also inspired by similar institutions in England and Sweden. In England, also the name used is the Press Complaints Commission. Hence, it was used for Sri Lanka although as I said earlier the term “Media Ombudsman” is far better. Now that other similar schemes are functioning people know the Ombudsman concept.
As the mechanism set up by the newspaper industry to self regulate the media, the PCCSL now in its 8th year, provides for an independent Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) who, with the staff of the PCCSL, will first attempt to mediate any complaint failing which will utilize an Arbitral Tribunal consisting of not less than three of its members to “adjudicate” on the complaint.

What Complaints are Covered?

The PCCSL’s leaflets which have been very well drafted tell us its objectives and what it can do. The media violations covered for complaint are as follows;
• Inaccurate reporting
• Articles affecting privacy
• Insensitive reporting on crime and sex
• Naming victims of sex crimes
• Articles promoting communal tension
• Articles promoting religious tension
• Prevention of journalists harassing people to get information

Who Can Complain?

• Anyone who is directly affected by an article
• Individuals as well as organizations
• Parents and guardians can complain on behalf of minors

Making a Complaint

• Contact the PCCSL where a complaints officer will help
• Fill in a simple form
• Complaints are handled in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages.

What Media is Covered?

• The PCCSL handles complaints against all Sri Lankan Newspapers; in Sinhala, Tamil and English.
• A majority of the Newspapers are supporting PCCSL and respect its mandate.

What Relief can the Complainant Obtain?

• A right of reply
• An apology
• A correction
• Or a combination of all three
In his 2009 Annual Report, PCCSL Chairman Mr. Kumar Nadesan refers to such relief as “restoring damaged reputations and hurt emotions”.

What if the Relevant Media ignores the PCCSL decision?

• A majority of the Editors are members of PCCSL and will normally abide by its decisions.
• Exceptionally, the PCCSL can enforce its decisions under Arbitration Act No 11 of 1995 through the High Court.

Statistics of Success

“The Proof of the Pudding is in the eating”.
During the period January to December 2009, the PCCSL received 122 complaints as follows:
• Sinhala language press ; (which comprises 70% of the print media) 72 complaints
• Tamil language press ; 12 complaints
• English language press ; 31 complaints
• Outside the print media ; 07 complaints

Resolution of Complaints

• Resolved ; 34 complaints
• Complainant did not proceed ; 25 complaints
• Out of mandate ; 42 complaints . (including not concerning media : 07 complaints)
• No progress from Editor : 11 complaints
• Sub-judice : 10 complaints
The Acting CEO of the PCCSL (Mr. Kamal Liyanaarchchi) refers to a 3F’s formula as the benchmark of the PCCSL. “Free, Fair and Fast”. Disputes are resolved free and fairly and fast.

Commendation of PCCSL, its DRC and the dedicated staff

In preparation for this talk I read almost all the publications put out by PCCSL. I studied Your Dispute Resolution Mechanisms, Your material to create Awareness, about your Training Seminars and your Annual Reports and other publications. . Believe me, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have nothing but the highest admiration for the excellent work you have done. Your staff, the Members of the Commission and above all the Members of the Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) led by its Chairman Mr. Sam Wijesinghe, who is the Chief Guest today. Especially the members of the Commission and the Dispute Resolution Council have done yeoman service to our country and what is significant is that this commitment has been voluntary and honorary without any fee or reward.It is also noteworthy that the PCCSL is the only voluntary self regulating body in South Asia.
I have also read the summaries of the List of Complaints which are found in all three languages in each Annual Report. I have gone through each and every one of them. As an Ombudsman for over seven years, I must confess that I have learnt so much form them; how complaints were dealt with and how the dispute was resolved.

A Few Perceived “Shortcomings” of PCCSL Scheme

I seek your indulgence to refer to what I think, are a few shortcomings of the PCCSL dispute resolution mechanism.
(i) The explanatory last paragraph in the Complaint Form appears “daunting” to an average reader/ complainant. I suggest its redrafting in Plain simple language.
(ii) It is wrong to say that the Adjudication of the PCCSL is deemed to be final and conclusive for all purposes and cannot be challenged before a court of law. Legally such a statement is not valid; any complainant is entitled to seek redress in a court of law if not satisfied with the steps taken by PCCSL. That is so in the case of both the Financial and Insurance Ombudsman. Only Parliament can say that a matter cannot be challenged in the Courts.
(iii) The Complaint Form to the PCCSL requires the complaint to identify the clause in Media’s Code of Professional Practice that has been breached. This is not practical. How can an average complainant know about the Code and its contents? The Financial and Insurance Ombudsman only asks for the name of the Bank/Insurance Company and that of the Complainant and his address. Our respective offices find out the details from the bank/insurer etc. The PCCSL office should ask only for the basic complaint and then get the details from the newspaper concerned and not place that burden on the complainant.
(iv) The complainant is asked to enclose a copy of the newspaper article that is complained of. He or she may not have it. Here again, the staff of PCCSL can get the basic facts from him and get the newspaper to give the details.
(v) The Annual Reports of PCCSL admit that some (few) Editors of newspapers do not abide by the PCCSL decisions. In my view, this is very bad. Having agreed to and subscribed to the Scheme they cannot or should not ignore the PCCSL decision. This does not happen with the Financial/Insurance Ombudsman.

State Media outside the PCCSL scheme

(vi) It is regrettable that the State print Media such as the Lake House group which publishes six papers (2 English, 2 Sinhala and 2 Tamil) is not subscribing to the PCCSL mechanism. This is not the case with the Financial Ombudsman and the Insurance Ombudsman. The State Banks (Bank of Ceylon, Peoples Bank, National Saving Bank etc) and the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation are members of the schemes and abide by them.

Enforcement of PCCSL Adjudication under Arbitration Law

(vii) Under the PCCSL scheme if the newspaper concerned does not comply with your adjudication, there is provision for its enforcement by the complainant under the Arbitration Act. Such a step will be a problem because the newspaper concerned can argue that your Adjudication is not a “legal arbitration” owing of the informal procedure adopted. As I stated earlier it is far better for the PCCSL to ensure that all newspapers within the scheme abide by its decisions. The resort to Arbitration law may not succeed.

State Media subject to Guaranteed Fundamental Rights

Article 14 of our 1978 Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression including publication but (regrettably) has not gone as far as the First Amendment to the American Constitution which guarantees that “no laws should be enacted abridging the freedom of speech or the press” . A free media is specifically guaranteed in the American Constitution but ours only guarantees “freedom of speech, expression and publication”.
Although the State media may not currently subscribe to the PCCSL, any aggrieved person can seek relief under Article 14 of the Constitution. There are reported judgments of such instances.

Abolition of Criminal Defamation

The abolition of the criminal defamation provisions in our Penal Code (Section 479/480) was I believe, mainly due to the efforts of the Free Media Movement. Our country is also indebted to a courageous editor (Sinha Ranatunga) of a leading paper (The Sunday Times) who stood in the dock (normally occupied by common criminals) on a prosecution initiated by the then President (Chandrika Kumaratunga) ; See the reported decision entitled Sinha Ranatunga v The State [2001] Volume 2 Sri Lanka Law Reports p 172. I am indeed happy that Mr. Kumar Nadesan as Chairman PCCSL in his Message to the PCCSL’s Annual Report for 2009 has referred to this defamation case filed at President Kumaratunga’s instance. These events have now been well recorded for future knowledge in Rajiv Weeresundera”s excellent book “The Other – War”. I referred to earlier.

Other matters of Importance to PCCSL

In concluding my talk I briefly mention some other matters which I think are important to your work.
(i) The re-activation of the Press Council established by the Sri Lanka Press Council Act No. 5 of 1973 which provides for seven members out of which six are appointed by the President. Five of the seven have been appointed. Two more, one representing the media union and one representing journalist remain to be appointed. Thus, while the Press Council remains a legal entity its dispute hearing body has not been fully constituted. Hence, in my view, its decisions can be challenged for procedural irregularity by writ or under fundamental rights jurisdiction.
(ii) With the growing recognition of the Sri Lanka Press Institute and the Sri Lanka College of Journalism, a text on Media Law which can cover the law and judicial decisions on Defamation (libel and slander ) and Contempt of Court will be most welcome. There are some excellent judicial case studies such as (i) In re Hulugalle (1938) 39, New Law Reports 294 (Contempt of Supreme Court) (ii) Hewamanne v Manik de Silva and the Associated Newspapers (1983) 1 Sri Lanka Reports P1. (iii) 42 New Law Reports 481 (Contempt of Court); (iv) Attorney- General v Vaikuntharasan (1952) 53 New Law Reports 558, (v) Rex v Evening Standard Company (1950) 51 Ceylon Law Weekly; (vi) In re Jayatilleke (1962) 63 New Law Reports p 282 (vii) In re Tillaklaratne (1991) 1 Sri Lanka Report 134 (viii) Sinha Ratnatunga v The State (2001) 2 Sri Lanka Reports 172
As to the importance of the print media let me leave you with a famous quote from Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States. He said; “If the people had to decide for a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I would ask them to vote for the latter”.
To conclude in paying a well deserved tribute to all of you, including the Editors and other working journalist of our country, let me quote a well known saying from Lord Buddha’s teachings, which I normally quote in my talks. Having explained the Dhamma, Lord Buddha says “You yourself should strive towards perfection. The Buddha can only show the way”.

Similarly my humble request to all Editors, Journalists and others associated with the Media is “You yourself should strive toward ensuring a Free and Socially Responsible Media. The Code of Professional Conduct and the Press Complaints Commission and all what it is doing, can only show way”.

Thank you.

Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria is an Attorney~at~Law and the Insurance Ombudsman, Sri Lanka. This is his key note address at the National Conference on Self Regulation in Media organised by the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka,held at Sri Lanka Press Institute on 7th of September 2011.

A participant reads the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Self ~ Regulation

A section of audience at the National Conference on Self Regulation in Media

The Chief Guest Sam Wijesinha, former Secretary General of Parliament and Parliamentary Ombudsman and currently the Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) of the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka addressing the gathering at the National Conference on Self Regulation in Media

Another section of audience at the National Conference on Self Regulation in Media

Is it a crime to be a Tamil in Sri Lanka?

2011-09-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

By Yenmozhi

“In the end anti black, anti female, and all forms of discrimination equivalent to the same thing- anti humanism”-Shirley Chisholm-American Politician, the first African-American to win a seat in the United States Congress

I like to share the daily experience of being a Tamil in Sri Lanka. The Tamils who are living in North and East of the country are subjected to various forms of discrimination. They feel utterly helpless due to fear. The civilians in these areas lead a horrible life beyond our imagination.

Tamils who are living in Colombo for decades are not exempted from discrimination by various walks of life; may it be security forces or fellow workers or neighbours.

Recently I drove to a five star hotel in Colombo to meet a foreign friend of mine. I was stopped at the main entrance of this particular hotel. The security guard who stopped me asked “where I was driving to?” I replied that I was going to see a friend of mine who is a guest of that hotel. Then he asked me for his room number. I told him his room number. As I approached the next entrance of the hotel, I was stopped again and asked the same question by the door man. I replied the same and moved on. I went and had a seat in the lobby of the hotel. As soon as I sat down, a lady waiter of the bar came and asked me “why I was waiting?”. Then I repeated my reply to her. I sent a text to my friend to inform that I was waiting in the lobby, and I continue to wait despite the spreading of suspicion. After few minutes another male waiter asked the same question, when I repeated the same reply, he said that I have been waiting there for long time. I wondered for a while and asked him whether there is any time restriction imposed to be in the lobby. He did not answer my question and he left the place. When I told about the incident to my friend, he was shocked and confused. He said that, “it is an absolute discrimination, which cannot be tolerated”.

I was dressed in pants and t-shirt; I was not dressed as a Tamil-wearing a saree or shalwar kameez and keeping a pottu on my forehead; but I was not dressed glamorously; I carried a back-pack. If I was dressed glamorously and lavishly I may have got a special treatment such as helping me to walk with my high heel shoe to the ball room.

Another day, I was waiting for a local friend of mine in another five star hotel in Colombo. The manager of the hotel asked me in Sinhala “why was I waiting?”. I told him that, I was waiting for a friend of mine. Then after some time another security person of that particular hotel came and asked me the same question. The reply was the same. Later he brought another four males and kept asking the same question. They were rude in their language; and they were uncivilized in their looks. It made me annoyed and angry. I had no choice, except to complain the matter to the Chairman of the hotel.

Some of my Tamil friends who left the country twenty years ago have come to Sri Lanka recently on holiday. When I met them after two decades, they mentioned to me how the attitude has changed tremendously. They also mentioned to me that, they do not look Tamils because they are fair. Most of the Tamil Diaspora who visits Sri Lanka does not want to show their national identity cards, because it can cause problems. The birth place is mentioned in Sinhala and Tamil in the national identity cards of the Tamils, where the foreign passports have the birth place is in English. They feel comfortable to show their passports instead of identity cards wherever and whenever it’s needed.

It reminds me of few incidents taken place recently, where if a Tamil person is dark in complexion he or she is suspected of a LTTE cadre. They go through the mental torture of answering and repeating the same reply to various people, who question them with suspicion.

Another recent experience was at a well-known restaurant in the city of Colombo. When asked politely about the parking space. I was told that, there is no parking space available for that restaurant. Then I had to park the car at my own risk. But later on I witnessed the customers for the particular restaurant was provided with parking. When inquired he tried to give many unrelated answers.

The first question asked at the checkpoints now a days is “are you a Tamil?” If a Tamil is stopped, he or she gets a different treatment, such as where was he or she born?, and can he or she speak Sinhala? If he or she was born in North or East of the country, then they get completely different treatment.

Nobody can be astonished by such behaviours, because discrimination had been in existence for several decades in Sri Lanka. Discrimination led many Tamil men and women to take up arms in their teenage to fight for their rights and of the fellow Tamils.

I do not dare to loose my identity, which I am proud of. As Martin Luther King Junior says “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character”.

The above article was originally published in December 2007.

South Asian Women in Media Sri Lanka Chapter Celebrates Second Anniversary

2011-09-04T05:54:00.000-07:00

SAWM ~ South Asian Women in Media Sri Lanka Chapter

SAWM ~ the South Asian Women in Media network is an affiliate of SAFMA, the South Asian Free Media association, a body of media persons from different disciplines, languages and countries of the South Asian region committed to high standards of the profession, media solidarity and promoting peace, regional co~operation, democracy, human rights and peaceful co~existence.

SAWM is the only association of women in the media in the region, which chapters in the countries of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Its main objective is to facilitate the efforts of women in the media, to mobilise them and take action to improve their professional status and contribute towards better the representation of women and women’s perspective in the media, highlighting women's issues and perspectives, providing a platform where women media persons can identify and find solutions to their problems, and advocating increased participation of women in the media, equal wages, a gender sensitive environment, promotion of women related issues and a gender-equal outlook in the media.

SAWM provides a platform for women in media

SAWM Sri Lanka Chapter was inaugurated on 19th of May 2009. SAWM Sri Lanka Chapter office bearers were elected on 29th of September 2009. SAWM Sri Lanka Chapter has since its launch organised a number of educative and informative programmes to help women journalists improve their professional skills.

SAWM Sri Lanka Chapter has organised a seminar “Women as Partners in South Asian Democracy” to celebrate its second anniversary.

The rebel with the smile

2011-09-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

PROFILE The rebel with the smile Editorial note: S P Thamilselvan, the 40-year-old leader of the political wing of the LTTE, was killed on 2 November 2007, adding another figure to the bitter separatist war that has claimed an estimated 70,000 lives. Upon international spokesman Anton Balasingham’s death in 2006, Thamilselvan, known for his skill at negotiation and public relations, became the contact point for Tamil Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, who rarely appears in public. In Prabhakaran’s stead, Thamilselvan became the affable face of the Tigers. There are perspectives on how a rebel with a hand in violent politics may be remembered when he is killed. We present here a perspective from Colombo, by an unabashed admirer. By : Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai.

It was one in the afternoon on 2 November 2007 – All Soul’s Day, the day of the dead – when the news of the death of Suppaiah Paramu ‘S P’ Thamilselvan, the leader of the LTTE’s political wing, began to filter into Colombo, the rest of Sri Lanka and abroad. Nobody could believe it. Journalists double-checked their sources and conferred with their colleagues. Radio stations aired the breaking news, and offered regular updates. Archives were rummaged through for suitable photographs and video footage. The following day’s newspaper headlines confirmed that Thamilselvan had indeed been killed, along with five other LTTE cadres, in an aerial attack in Thiruvaiyaru, near Kilinochchi in northern Sri Lanka. All five hailed from Jaffna District. A sixth cadre, critically injured in the attack, eventually succumbed to his injuries seven days later. Three of these cadres were also part of the LTTE’s political wing, while three others were Thamilselvan’s bodyguards. One had been Thamilselvan’s official photographer. As a journalist, I met Thamilselvan on numerous occasions, both in Sri Lanka and abroad. During the course of those meetings, I developed quite a fondness for this remarkably amiable man. We Sri Lankan journalists affectionately called him Suna Paana, derived from the Tamil pronunciation of his initials, while foreign journalists called him SPT. He was a media-friendly chap, with the distinction of being the LTTE cadre who had given the most interviews to local and international media. He was cordial and always cooperative, often helping us get the footage and photos we needed. Nothing, it seemed, could erase Thamilselvan’s distinctive smile – not even a disagreement with journalists about, say, the Tamil Tigers’ child conscription or taxation. Indeed, one international journalist called him the “man with the cobra smile”. Whenever a question was asked about child recruitment, his response was something along the lines of: “Some children from underprivileged families come and join us voluntarily, but we hand them back to their parents. We have closed down all the recruitment centres.” In fact, Thamilselvan and his affable smile were largely responsible for the generally rave reviews of LTTE hospitality promulgated by the many journalists who visited Vanni after the LTTE signed the 2001 Ceasefire Agreement with the government of Ranil Wickremasinghe. For Thamilselvan, neither language nor the findings of innumerable independent investigations ever seemed to prove a hindrance to extending a warm welcome. Thamilselvan was born on 29 August 1967 in Mattuvil, Chavakachcheri, in Jaffna, the fifth boy in a middle-class family of six. He completed his primary education at Mattuvil Chandramouleeswarar Vidyalayam and his secondary education at Chavakachcheri Hindu College. His mother, Visalatchchi Paramu, who now lives in Canada, remembers him as a quiet child: “I used to dress him in different dresses, and enjoyed looking at him when he was a baby. He was the pet of the family.” Thamilselvan joined the LTTE in 1984, when he was just 16, and went to India for training. Though his nom de guerre was Dinesh, he reverted to Thamilselvan, his given name, because it sounded more Tamil. Most recently, he had started spelling his name Thamilchelvan or even Thamizhchelvan, in keeping with the more phonetic Tamil spelling. Thamilselvan was a close confidante of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, serving as his bodyguard for a few years until he was made commander of Thenmarachchi zone of Jaffna District in October 1987, and then special military commander of the whole district in 1991. He eventually became the LTTE’s first brigadier. After being critically injured at the famous Elephant Pass battle of 1991, Thamilselvan was forced to use a cane. As I later discovered in 2001 at Vanni, the sound of his limping gait quickly became a signal for cadres to stiffen to attention.

Suppaiah Paramu Thamilselvan in Kilinochchi ~ Man with the cobra smile

The hope of Oliventhan

In 1993, Thamilselvan was appointed leader of the LTTE’s political wing, a post that he ultimately held until his death. He became chief negotiator for the party after the demise of Anton Balasingham in December of last year, and travelled widely in Scandinavia, Europe, Africa and Asia, both for peace talks and to study the nature of various federal systems. Indeed, Thamilselvan’s contacts, both in Kilinochchi and abroad, were famously numerous – Western journalists, diplomats, aid workers and others. Thamilselvan leaves behind his wife, Sasireka (also known as Isaichchelvi, an LTTE cadre from Chulipuram, Jaffna), as well as eight-year-old daughter Alaimagal and four-year-old son Oliventhan. Oliventhan is a ‘peace baby’ – born in 2003, after the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement – and, as Thamilselvan confided to me, is named King of Light for that very reason. Alaimagal was also the source of much fatherly pride. At Vanni, after our official interview, Thamilselvan took out a photo album of his family, mentioning how bright Alaimagal was in her studies, and how he wanted her to become a doctor. He seemed just as involved in his family as he was immersed in the political movement. Thamilselvan also counted among his family Anton Balasingham and his wife Adele. Senior cadres called the doctor annai, or elder brother, and Adele akka, or elder sister, or Aunty Adele. Their influence on Thamilselvan and other cadres was regularly visible. Adele, for instance, made sure that all of the cadres had impeccable table manners, a fact that my visit to Vanni made clear. During a dinner with the cadres, I was struck by the formality of the table, laden with the appropriate cutlery, serviettes and even finger bowls with little pieces of floating lemon. Upon my query as to where they had learnt such table etiquette, they told me that Aunty Adele was responsible. Out in the villages, too, Thamilselvan was immensely popular. In Vanni, whenever he went out, I would watch elderly men and women hugging the LTTE leader. He had clearly won their hearts. His love extended to the people of his birthplace. When he visited Mattuvil in 2002, a senior LTTE intelligence cadre reported that Thamilselvan “was in tears when he saw his hometown for the first time after several years. He could not bear the pain of seeing his village in rubble, and stayed there for a long time before finally deciding to return to Vanni.” After our 2003 meeting in Kilinochchi, I next encountered Thamilselvan in 2005, at the funeral of Batticaloa-Ampara political-wing leader Kaushalyan, who had been killed in an ambush in Punanai. Thamilselvan had arrived in Batticaloa aboard an official Air Force helicopter, in an effort facilitated by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission. I will never forget the scene as Kaushalyan’s wife, Pushpa, who was then seven months pregnant, began wailing and beating both her own chest and that of Thamilselvan. While attempting to comfort Kaushalyan’s wife, Thamilselvan was himself in tears. My last meeting with Thamilselvan came as a surprise. After participating in the peace talks held in Geneva in February 2006, the LTTE delegation travelled to Norway. I was in Denmark at the time, but had decided to visit Norway by bus. The following month I unexpectedly ran into Thamilselvan and several of his closest aids outside the Norwegian Parliament. “Ingayum engalai pin thodarukireengala?” Thamilselvan jokingly asked, standing there amidst the snow, “Are you following us here as well?” Coincidently, Thamilselvan was killed during the very month that the LTTE has declared as the Month of Martyrs. In his condolence statement issued upon his associate’s death, Prabhakaran referred to the departed leader as “our peace dove”. Thamilselvan represented the public, worldly face of the Tamil Tigers, and someone who might have helped to bridge the yawning gap that needs to be filled if the Tamils of Sri Lanka are to have a peaceful and self-respecting future.

The above article was originally published on Himalmag in its December 2007 issue. The link for the same article is:~
http://himalmag.com/component/content/article/1363-The-rebel-with-the-smile.html

The article is re~published here

Raising their voice

2011-09-02T23:36:00.000-07:00

Women scribes in Sri Lanka are fighting against odds to present the true picture in the strife-torn island nation.

Manipadma Jena

May 2009 marked the end of Sri Lanka's 26-year civil war that had torn the nation apart. But it has been an uneasy truce. “The Sri Lankan government should immediately end its post-election harassment of media outlets and ensure protection of journalists from attack,” Human Rights Watch said on January 29, 2010. It added, “Since the presidential election on January 26, Sri Lankan authorities have detained and questioned several journalists, blocked news Web sites, and expelled a foreign journalist. At least one journalist has been assaulted and several threatened.” Controls on journalists who had dared to take on the government — not just on the war with the LTTE and its aftermath, but also on domestic, political and economic issues — have hardly eased. Abductions, phone and text threats, and denouncements on official government Web sites continued into the election eve. “Now that the President has been re-elected, there appears to be a settling of scores with critics of the government,” said Brad Adams, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.

As the voices against media harassment rise, several media organisations, including Reporters without Borders and the International Federation of Journalists, have asked President Mahinda Rajapaksa to deliver on his promises of a free and autonomous Fourth Estate. But will Rajapaksa now deliver? That's anybody's guess.

Sri Lanka's civil war, which began in 1983, was one of the oldest ongoing conflicts in the world. In 2006, when full-scale violence resumed between the government and the LTTE, human rights violations committed by both sides increased dramatically. Widespread internal displacement was by far the direst of consequences, as the military recaptured LTTE occupied territory.

The pre-poll promises of returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their homes, too, have only been partially fulfilled.

Media, black or white?

In such a sharply polarised scenario, the media are viewed in black and white terms — either as supporters or detractors, as allies or enemies. Boding far-reaching ills for a democracy and civil society, freedom of expression has been a consistent casualty.

Dilrukshi Handunnetti, in the Asia Media Report 2009, titled ‘Truth, the Second Casualty' takes an insider's hard look at the tumultuous state of the Sri Lankan media in its quest for the truth amidst violence, sensationalism and censorship. A lawyer by training, she has been a journalist for 17 years, and is currently editor, investigation desk, at The Sunday Leader. She sees herself as a human rights activist above all else and has covered the ethnic conflict from a non-military perspective.. She says, “Women journalists successfully bring in the gender perspective and the psychological impact of violence on men, women and children, both during the conflict and at the IDP camps, which male journalists might mostly overlook, concentrating rather on political aspects.”

“Journalists are consciously kept out. News that gets out from the camps is sensational and there is no way to verify its authenticity,” observes Sharmini Boyle, the director and chief editor at ‘Young Asia Television', a leading independent organisation producing programmes on human rights, peace-building, youth and gender issues.

In Sri Lankan politics, women have a four per cent representation at the Centre and two per cent presence at the local level. Gender representation in the media is much better. A Sri Lanka-based Tamil woman journalist, who has put in 16 years in the profession, but who requests anonymity, asks a pertinent question, “How many of us women journalists really travelled to conflict zones to report? Every attempt has been made to silence us.”

A majority of mediapersons, both at the local and international levels, would echo her. Thakshila Dilrukshi, BBC's Sinhala service reporter, who was attacked with clubs recently by partisan political groups, certainly would.

The Tamil journalist adds, “It is quite difficult to operate as an independent journalist and report impartially.” Her fears are those of all journalists who have remained true to their professional ethics and spirit, despite the immense pressure to side with the government, quit altogether or even leave the country.

“It is frustrating being unable to carry out my job independently, travel to North and East (the conflict areas and IDP camp bases) for news coverage without obtaining prior permission from the authorities, and being watched all the time. I like to travel to the field, be with the people of all three (Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim) communities and report what I see and hear. I do not like ‘comfort journalism'. But after my colleagues were shot dead, and about 35-40 journalists left the country, I have decided it is prudent to keep a low profile,” she says. Of the 34 media personnel killed since April 2004, three were Sinhalese, one was a Muslim and the rest were Tamils.

The gender perspective

For women journalists the nature of work and the working environment has undergone a sea change. Recalls Vijita Fernando, journalist, translator and fiction writer since the 1960s, “There was a time in the media industry in Sri Lanka — print and broadcast — when there were no women reporters. They were either editors of supplement pages for women and children or feature writers.”

Things have changed dramatically in the intervening years. “Now, women occupy editors' chairs, cover parliament, do the police beat and, of course, cover the conflict too, but only marginally — and with accompanying male journalists. When the conflict was on, however, hardly any journalists were allowed in the north and east,” she observes.

Vijita strikes a thought provoking note: “Women journalists have always focused on the gender aspect even while writing about IDPs and IDP camps. This is an extension of their interest in women. Even outside the conflict and post-conflict situation, women journalists tend to focus on women's lives — the abuse, their rights, their children, domestic violence, maternal health and mortality. But I am not generalising. There are a few women journalists who have always written on politics and issues like the dearth of women in politics and women's legal rights. Yet, here too, it is the women they are focusing on, although not on what is normally termed as ‘women's issues'.”

Confirming her observations, the Tamil journalist adds, “There are many stories to be covered, such as martyrs' families, women cadres, children affected by conflict, to name a few. Since there are travel restrictions these stories remain untold to the world.”

Women scribes in the troubled island nation are certainly mainstreaming gender. They are shaking off the tag of being interested only in ‘soft' stories and are consolidating their position despite the odds. For instance, 30 women journalists came together in May last year to put in place the Sri Lanka chapter of the South Asian Women in Media (SAWM - the first South Asian all-women media association with members from SAARC countries) in order to give the much needed fillip to women journalists in Sri Lanka. But most of all they want to do stories that shine the torch on the political and stark social realities that beset their country today.

© Women's Feature Service

(This article was published in the Business Line print edition dated February 12, 2010)

Link for the above article is given below:~
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-life/article1015120.ece

The above article is re~published here

‘Do Not Kill the Journalists; Do Not Kill the Democracy’: Rare Sri Lanka Media Protest

2011-08-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

Assault on Kuganathan is an assault on the Truth.

Sri Lanka’s three decade long civil war was brought to an end in May 2009.
But, the media continues to face suppression, while dozens of journalists live in exile.

DushiYanthini Kanagasabapathipillai reports on a rare protest by journalists in the North of Sri Lanka demanding greater protection.

“Keep Writing” chanted the 350 protesters in Jaffna. They stopped traffic in the cities busiest street for more than an hour.

They are here in response to a brutal assault on the news editor of Jaffna based Tamil newspaper.

Gnanasundaram Kuganathan was seriously injured in the attack by unknown men four weeks ago.

He is slowly recovering in an undisclosed place.

President of Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance Bharati Rajanayagam says it was not an isolated event.

“Tamil journalists have been attacked in Jaffna. Earlier, journalist Nimalarajan was attacked and killed in Jaffna. Attacks on journalists continued in Jaffna. The Sinhala journalists from Colombo have come to Jaffna in large numbers, and are protesting for the first time. When the journalists in Jaffna live in fear, and are afraid to protest on the street, the participation of the Sinhala journalist’s helps.”

To show support for journalists working in the restrictive north a group of 47 journalists and activists travel from Colombo to Jaffna along the main highway known as A9.

They carried placards and chanted continuously in Tamil and Sinhala “Do Not Kill; Do Not Kill Us; Do Not Kill the Journalists; Do Not Kill the Democracy”
Sunil Jayasekera is a Sinhala journalist and the Convener of the Free Media Movement of Sri Lanka.

“We have decided to come to Jaffna to show solidarity and respect the courage of the journalists here. We cannot keep quiet we want to put pressure on the authorities to bring the culprits before the law, and safeguard media freedom. Uthayan newspaper that is published in Jaffna has been attacked a few times. The journalists in Jaffna live in fear. News Editor of Uthayan newspaper was brutally attacked recently. No action has been taken by the authorities to change this situation. Kuganathan was under threat. Armed men came in search for him on the World Press Freedom day in 2006. They shot and killed journalists and damaged their equipment. They were looking for Kuganathan for the first time to kill him. Nobody has been punished with regard to these incidents, no action was taken.”

This was the first time Tamil and Sinhala journalists had protested together in Jaffna.

President of Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance Bharati Rajanayagam says they can’t remind silence.

“Although it is said that the war is over and peace prevails, freedom of expression is suppressed especially, the voices trying to tell the the plight of the people. Tension prevails in Jaffna. Tamil and Sinhala journalists standing together and protesting about this is a new phenomenon.”

In a recent statement the International media watchdog Reporters without borders called on authorities to bring those behind attacks on journalists in the North to justice.

Traffic on Hospital Roadin Jaffna, North of Sri Lanka is blocked as the protesters stepped on the street and took over the space

Please click http://http://www.asiacalling.org/en/news/sri-lanka/2189-do-not-kill-the-journalists-do-not-kill-the-democracy-rare-sri-lanka-media-protest/"/">www.asiacalling.org/en/news/sri-lanka/2189-do-not-kill-the-journalists-do-not-kill-the-democracy-rare-sri-lanka-media-protest> to listen and read

Please click http://www.flickr.com/photos/passionparade/sets/ 72157627342463893/ to view more photos.

“I want to continue to highlight the activities against the humanity” ~ Gnanasundaram Kuganathan

2011-08-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

Gnanasundaram Kuganathan is a simple man with a sweet smile

“It’s a miracle that I survived. I was beaten almost to death. Many attempts have been made to kill me, so that my writing will come to an end!. I did not think that, I will survive. The God has saved me to serve the people through journalism. I am slowly recovering. Today, I am blessed to be alive. I have highlighted many issues in my writing. I want to continue to highlight the activities against the humanity, but I am not sure whether I will be able to hold the pen again, because my right hand fingers are frozen” emotionally shares Gnanasundaram Kuganathan (59) while tears filled his eyes.

He is loved by the fellow journalists

The News Editor of Uthayan ~ Tamil language daily newspaper Gnanasundaram Kuganathan (59) was brutally assaulted by unknown men on 29th of July 2011 at night at 7.30pm on Kasthuriyaar road in Jaffna, as he was walking back home for dinner from work. I met him in Jaffna recently, as he is currently recovering from the severe injuries caused by the brutal assault.

“It was a Friday. On 29th of July 2011, I was walking home for dinner from the office. I shouted “அம்மா” “அம்மா” ~ Amma”, “Amma” (Mother, Mother) after the two young men hit me with iron rods on my head and right hand. I ran into my house, I was in critical condition, and later I was admitted to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital (Intensive Care Unit) by my fellow journalists. I was unconscious for three days at the intensive care unit of the hospital.

I can identify the two young men who have brutally assaulted me. One person is a tall man and the other is a short man. Both men are below 30 year old” keeps sharing Gnanasundaram Kuganathan, while holding the right hand tightly with his left hand, and continues to speak softly with his usual sweet smile. Gnanasundaram Kuganathan can communicate in Tamil, English and Sinhala. He is one among a few journalists who can communicate in all three languages in Jaffna Peninsula. He has 30 years of experience in the field of journalism. Due to the numbness in the right hand, he had to remove his wedding engagement Gold ring from the right hand to left hand ring finger.

Gnanasundaram Kuganathan is a "People's Person"

A protest was organised by Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA), Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF), Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (SLMETU),Media Movement for Democracy (MMD) and South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA).Nearly 47 journalists from Colombo traveled to Jaffna by A9 highway to show solidarity. They condemned the brutal assault by protesting in front of the Sri Lanka Transport Board bus stand in Jaffna on 16th of August 2011. It was a rare protest for the Peninsula people to witness. “ஏதாவது பிரச்சினையோ?” ~ “Is there any problem?”, “என்ன பிரச்சினை?” ~ “What is the problem?”, “இங்கை என்ன நடக்குது?” ~ “What is happening here?” a few onlookers, passers ~ by and shop keepers asked me while the protest was getting underway on a balmy day in Jaffna. “இங்கை உண்மையா என்ன நடக்குது?" ~ “What is actually happening here” asked the owner of a newly built restaurant, while I was running to the restaurant roof top to capture the moments on my camera.

Argument between the Police and the protesters

There was chaos as the protesters arrived in Jaffna town with placards in Tamil. Police in the vicinity came closer and asked them not to block the traffic. Verbal argument took place between the Police and the protesters. But the protesters kept chanting and walking. The traffic came to a standstill for a couple of moments, as the protesters took the space on the mot busiest road in Jaffna, the Hospital road while carrying the placards in Tamil ~ ““யாழ்ப்பாண ஊடகவியலாளர் உயிருக்கு யார் பாதுகாப்பு?” ” ~ “Who is responsible for the lives of the journalists in Jaffna?”, “ஊடக சுதந்திரம் பாதுகாக்கப்பட வேண்டும்” ~ “Media freedom needs to be protected”, “எப்போ முடியும் யாழ்ப்பாணத்தில் அடக்குமுறைகள்?” ~ “When will the suppression come to an end in Jaffna?”, “ஊடக சுதந்திரத்தைப் பாதுகாக்க ஒன்றுபடுவோம்” ~ "Let’s unite to protect media freedom”, “குகநாதனுக்கு விழுந்த அடி உண்மைக்கு விழுந்த பேரிடி”~ "Assault on Kuganathan is an assault on the Truth, “ஊடகத்துறைக்கு எதிரான அடக்குமுறையை ஒழிப்போம்” ~ "Eradicate Suppression Against the Media” “ஊடகத்தின் மீதான தாக்குதலை உடனே நிறுத்து” ~ “Stop Attacking the Media Immediately”, “ஜனநாயகத்தின் குரலை ஒடுக்காதே” ~ "Don’t Suppress the voice of Democracy”, “தேர்தலில் தோற்றவர்களா மண்டையைப் பிளந்தார்கள்?” ~ “Did they split the head those who lost the elections?”

The protesters chanted “Let Us Write”,“Continue; Continue; Continue to Write”,“Do Not Kill; Do Not Kill; Do Not Kill Us; Do Not Kill the Journalists, Do Not Kill the Democracy”,“Uthyan was attacked, but nobody was arrested”, “Bring the culprit to the courts”“Do Not Attack; Do Not Attack; Do Not Attack the Media”, “Take Your Hands Off Media”“Stop; Stop; Stop the Suppression” “Kuganathan; Kuganthan who wrote the plight of the people”, “Kuganathan was attacked with Iron rods”,“Kuganathan; Kuganathan; Keep Writing", "Lift the Emergency Immediately” in Tamil and Sinhala. There were nearly 350 journalists, activists and politicians participated in the protest according to the organisers.

“Journalists from Colombo came to Jaffna to condemn the assault on Gnanasundaram Kuganathan and participated in the protest. It’s the best way to show solidarity. We, journalists should unite and act against the continuing suppression” says Sellappa Kathirgamathamby, the President of North Sri Lanka Journalists’ Association.

The RSF ~ Reporters Without Borders pointed out in its recent statement “This attack must not be the prelude to a new wave of violence against journalists, which has been on the wane during the past year, in part because so many journalists are in exile. We remind the authorities that impunity continues to encourage wrongdoers.”

Who is responsible for the lives of the journalists in Jaffna?

Assault on Kuganathan is an assault on the Truth

"Kuganathan is a good friend of mine. I have come here to show solidarity" shares Velautham Thayanithi or Daya Master (As commonly known) the former Media Spokesperson of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

Traffic on Hospital Road is blocked as the protesters stepped on the street and took over the space

Eradicate Suppression Against the Media

Journalists and activists took the space on Hospital Road in Jaffna while chanting slogans to protect media freedom

Let’s unite to protect media freedom

Sri Lanka is ranked fourth with nine unsolved journalist murders or0.443 unsolved journalist murders per one million inhabitants according to CPJ ~ Committee to Protect Journalists, international media watchdog

Scene on Kasthuriyaar Road in Jaffna

As protesters keep walking along the Hospital Road

Newspaper stand in Jaffna

Uthayan ~ Tamil language daily newspaper was started in 1985 in Jaffna, North of Sri Lanka

The Wall and other works

2011-08-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

“The Wall” ~ 320” x 90” x12” Installation, Mixed media, 2011

"The Wall and other works” ~ An exhibition of an Installation, Drawings and Paintings by Chandraguptha Thenuwara was held at the Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo from 23rd July 2011 to 31st July 2011. Passers ~ by just walked into the gallery to view the exhibition, but most of them were at standstill for a couple of moments. More time was spent in front of The Wall which was 30 feet long and 7 feet high with various images of people. The images reflected on tinted mirrors on both sides of the wall. The exhibition was a kind of commemoration of uncommemorative events of our recent past and at the same time responds to contemporary situations.

Although images were in a form of absence they also become a presence. In this exhibition viewers participated to complete the art work. They lit a candle in the voids of the wall. It provided a kind of connection; it lives the memory. This act of remembrance became a contemplation which helps to overcome grief. It also made connections to the past,present and future.

Many sculptures creating an idea of an endless wall

"These images represent Sri Lankans ~ Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers. Who will light candles for everybody ~ civilians, soldiers and rebels who were killed in the war?" emotionally queries Chandraguptha Thenuwara.

"The empty spaces were created by the conflict and war. There are lots of innocent civilians, security forces personnel, politicians; government servants, rebels, militants etc. who lost their lives. If we look at those deaths not considering their social status or way of living, all are human beings. Everybody is a loved one of someone. I hope this experience of participation with an art work will create a special kind of social consciousness and a kind of responsibility for the past as well as respect across ethnic divides. It will help reconciliation and justice" continues Chandraguptha Thenuwara.

“Hope” ~ 48”x60”, Acrylic on Canvas, 2011

“This is not a White Van” ~ 48”x60”, Acrylic on Canvas, 2011

“This is not a White Flag” ~ 48”x60” Acrylic on Canvas, 2011

Paying tribute to the people who lost their lives in war

Casinopolis,Thorns, Guns, Four Stars,Waiting for Words,Three Heads and Untitled ~ Ink on Paper,2011

Viewers spend longer time in front the large installation

Silence and speechlessness led to the feeling of absence and loss

“This is not a White Flag” ~ 48”x60” Acrylic on Canvas, 2011 and “This is not a White Van” ~ 48”x60”, Acrylic on Canvas, 2011

The installation attracted more art lovers

The viewer walk without a word

The imagination soars in the gallery

This is due to..... ~ 36”x48”, Acrylic on Canvas, 2011

There is an urgent need for psychological assistance in the North

2011-07-31T21:31:00.000-07:00

Unforgettable memories of brutal war still haunt Apputhurai Arumainathan

DushiYanthini Kanagasabapathipillai in Jaffna

Two years ago, Sri Lanka’s three decade long war ended in May 2009. But, those who witnessed the brutality of the war are still suffering and struggling to forget the traumatic past.

Apputhurai Arumainathan (53) is one among many. He lost his wife Gunaambaal Arumainathan (50) in the last phase of the war in Vanni.

“My wife was killed in a shell attack, when she went to the shop on 28th of April 2009 in Mullivaaikkaal. She got injured in her waist, and died on the spot” says Apputhurai Arumainathan with pain in his heart.

Like many others Apputhurai Arumainathan too got displaced many times, and spent time in the internally displaced camp in Vavuniya. Finally, he managed to physically relocate himself in Jaffna peninsula with his other relatives. But he still struggles to forget his traumatic memories.

Roman Catholic priest and a trained psychologist Father Damian Soosaipillai is helping the war affected children and widows in Jaffna. The dedicated service provided by the team is to help them adjust to normal life after the traumatic experience.

“Thirty years of civil war has caused tremendous problems both physically and psychologically for the children as well as for the adults. The innocent civilians became the victims of this war. These civilians have already had many displacements, and above all they had been hit very badly by natural as well as manmade disasters. The fierce fighting has caused severe psychological damage and scarred mind” says Father Damian Soosaipillai.

Father Damian Soosaipillai and his team of eight counsellors work in 21 villages in Jaffna. Father Damian Soosaipillai has been involved with psycho ~ social activities in the Jaffna Peninsula since 1980s.

“I am a farmer and have been living in Maankulam for more than 30 years. I have a lot of farm lands there on Mallaavi road in Maankulam. I visited twice after the war ended in 2009. But, I am unable to go and live there permanently, because memories of my beloved wife always keep bothering my mind and thoughts. Both of us led a blessed life together. We never fought. I am unable to forget the wonderful memories of our wedded life. I always treasure them. She took care of me like a mother. I do not even know how to make a cup of tea. Now, I feel terribly lost and helpless without my wife. I will not be able to live peacefully without her. Everyday, I am struggling to come to terms with the reality, but I fail. War is cruel. Loss, displacement and trauma continued in our lives. On the other hand, the survivors are struggling to lead a life even after the war ended” laments Apputhurai Arumainathan.

There is a need for more counseling for the survivors of the war in Sri Lanka.

“During the past few months people who came for psychological assistance including children have suffered much trauma and other symptoms like PTSD ~ Post Traumatic Stress Disorder such as grief, loss, depression, anxiety, psychosomatic illness sleep disorder, nightmare, starling for sudden noises, loss of interest, trust in the future irritability, poor concentration, poor memory aggressiveness. This evidence shows that there is an urgent need for psychological assistance in the North” further says Father Damian Soosaipillai.

Festival of Folk Music for the Hearts and Souls to Mingle

2011-06-02T04:41:00.000-07:00

"Where WORDS fail; MUSIC SPEAKS!" ~ Hans Christian Andersen, (2 April 1805 ~ 4 August 1875), (Danish Aurthor, Fairy Tale Writer, Novelist, Poet and Short Story Writer ~ whose fairy tales are famous throughout the world)

Traditional welcome for the folk music festival

The Jaffna Music Festival was held on the 25th, 26th and 27th of March 2011 at Jaffna Municipal grounds. It paves the way for a biannual event held in the historic city of Jaffna. This year, the festival brought together a
variety of traditional folk music and dance performances from around the island, with groups representing different ethnic communities and regions of Sri Lanka along with performances from international folk groups from
India, South Africa, Nepal, Palestine and Norway.

The Festival unfolded in the setting of a folk-village camp where different artists, both local and international led simultaneous performances in the mornings, followed by a main stage performance in the evenings which lasted late after midnight. To further engage and educate Festival-goers, the different folk artists led exhibition stalls discussing and showcasing the rich history and diversity of each folk form. The Jaffna Music Festival is the sister event of the biennial Galle Music Festival started in the year 2009.

Beautifully decorated wooden arch at the entrance

Fresh bunch of Banana with King Coconut at the entrance

When and Where to go ~ details of the Jaffna Music Festival in all three languages ~ Tamil, English and Sinhala

Straw mats on sandy soil for the festival

Festival goers just could not stand on the floor, but often on the feet for the faster drum beats heard after many years in Jaffna

Dazzling decorations of Pineapple and Pumpkin along with young coconut leaves

Festival site in Jaffna

Camphor burns in a row of clay pots during the performance of Songs of the Soil by Professor Sinniah Maunaguru and Troupe from Batticaloa

All drummers on stage

A kid is engrossed with the festival

Traditional and Contemporary Sri Lankan Folk Groups:~

Vasanthan Kooththu:~
This is one of the popular Kooththu forms in Tamil tradition. It is connected to the Veerapaththirar worship, which originated in the Village named Kattuvan in the
northern part of Jaffna. This Kooththu form is around two hundred years old. This Kooththu got its name ‘Veerapaththirar Vasanthan’, from the poet, who was known as Visuva and composed it in the Veerapaththirar temple. The song describes people working in the fields planting and harvesting their crops, the colorful birds which circles the skies above and the beauty and richness of the village. Through this Kooththu the villagers pray to Veerapaththirar, an avatar of Lord Shiva to protect them from all evil. The performers make a circle and act in pairs. Each performer uses two sticks to make a rhythmical beat, which is synchronized to their movements. The audience sits in a circle around the performers. The rhythm and tune of the songs are determined by the meaning of the songs. The movement of the performers depicts the meaning of the songs. The singing is usually accompanied by the harmonium and miruthangam with thaalam (cymbal). It is also performed in the places other than temples with slight attention in time frame during the nights as an extension of temple worship.

Vasanthan Kooththu from Kattuvan in Jaffna district, North of Sri Lanka

Parai Melam:~
This dance form is traditionally found in the Mattakalappu region. A special uniqueness of the Parai Mela Koothu lies in the fact that it uses the dance form
as well as various beat patterns as a medium to communicate different emotions to the audience. The Parai Mela Drummers stand facing each other and by their performance evoke contrasting emotions to be expressed by their counterpart. There are 18 different drum patterns in this type of Melam, which is traditionally performed in temple courtyards and during funeral processions, where a main feature is the frequent stop at junctions to drum and dance. The Parai Mela Kooththu contains numerous fundamental dance and movement patterns and many elements of it resemble the Nritya dance form of the northern Thamizh tradition. Parai Melam is a rapidly declining art form that should not solely be enjoyed as entertainment but that needs to be cherished, encouraged and protected by all arts lovers, scholars and artists.

Parai Melam from Batticaloa district, East of Sri Lanka

Rohana Beddaage:~
Rohana Beddage is an immortalised artist inspired by folk music tradition in Sri Lanka. His vision of leaving a legacy to future generation is influenced by composing
novice melodies to folk tunes and verse which based on folk literature where our tradition and Sri Lankan identity lies. Applying the metre of folk poetry to compose his songs and his familiarity with folk literature is the everlasting secret of his popularity. Foundation of ethnomusicology has become one of provable factor for his unmatched excellence and unchallenged creativity. A teacher of music, dance and drama, kind hearted Father of younger generation who teaches pure Sri Lankan tradition and its captivating ethics, a composer, a lyricist, a singer, a world renowned musician and in the real sense of the word he is a maestro with overflowing humility. At the Jaffna Music Festival this world renowned musician performed:~
● Kande Lande Personal experience by Beddage which expresses heartfelt feelings towards his village.
● Raja o Mangaliya: Veddas (indigenous people in Sri Lanka) folk song when they go to cut the honeycomb and with the experience Beddage gained at “Mahiyanganaya” where he lived side by side with the Veddas in Sri Lanka.
● Sasanda Sasanda: A form of cultural expression accompanied with Buddhist philosophy and the daily work of bullock carters which express their spontaneous ideas to lessen their physical stress.

Rohana Beddage from Horana, suburb of Colombo

Sinthu Nadai Kooththu:~
This is a very popular Kooththu form in the Tamil tradition. It is connected to a legend about goddess Maariyamman. The main character in this Kooththu is Kaaththavaraayan thus it is also called Kaaththavaraayan Kooththu. The whole Kooththu is following the Sinthu Nadai style ~ a simple rhythmic walk like movement of legs with a rhythm. The whole performance is traditionally created accordingly to the character. It is performed in temples as part of the Amman Worship. The Kooththu is performed as praise to goddess Muththumaari, asking her to protect the village from sickness and drought. The performance is accompanied by singing, thaalam, miruthangam and harmonium. Shiva and Vishnu took the form of two deer to produce Kaaththavaraayan. The baby was given to goddess Muththumaari to be looked after. But her love towards this boy, and her constant cradling of the infant annoyed the Devas. They sent the river Ganga from heaven to destroy both mother and son. The baby blocked the river with his foot and protected earth from destruction and thus getting his name: Kaaththavaraayan meaning ‘saviour’.

Sinthu Nadai Kooththu from Neerveli in Jaffna district, North of Sri Lanka

Rookada:~
Sri Lanka has inherited an ancient tradition of puppetry. The art of string puppetry and its practice is centered round Ambalangoda region in the South. We owe
a debt of gratitude to, “Saranga String Puppetries” who have preserved this art form, with much dedication, by preventing it from going into extinction. In the old days, the puppets were used to bring news and politics as well as to tell exciting and romantic stories to the rural areas. Most of the performances are based on characters found in Buddhist literature including chronicles and creations which highlight Buddhist values.

The services of G. Premin of Ambalangoda, a pioneer puppeteer of current era belonging to the clan of Sri Lankan Traditional Puppetry, are still appreciated, as he is an artiste who understood the value of puppetry and safeguarded the art. The knowledge and art of performing the puppetry are handed down in traditional families. Premin and his team of ten members of Saranga String Puppetries have sacrificed their whole life for the promotion of puppetry and show a great zeal and dedication for the industry. His productions, such as “Ehelapola” and “Sri Wickrama” gaining knowledge and influence from his father and grandfather entered a new path in the art of puppetry. Modern day puppeteers continue to engage in puppetry struggling for their own survival lacking incentives from society and policy makers to continue this tradition.

Rookada from Ambalangoda, South of Sri Lanka

Kali Kambaattam:~
The members of the Tradition and Culture of Muslim Inducing Association TACOMIA live in Akkaraipattu, in the Eastern coast of Sri Lanka. The group is well
known among the Muslim community for their distinctive style of performing music with sticks. This style is known as ‘Kali Kambattam’, which refers to ‘beat and play’. The
knowledge and art of performing the play are handed down in traditional families to the present generation. The roots of their play style can be traced back to about 300 years ago.

This tradition is very popular in every Muslim community. The band over the years has played more than 30 shows to wide and varied audiences around the country. The group performs a wide variety of folk tales in form of singing and dancing with sticks. The folk group’s playing, singing and dancing style is Saudi Arabian in origin. This scenario forms the base and all surrounding sequences are acted in various manner using diverse symbols,costumes accompanied by rhythmic singing and drumming with sticks. According to M.H Muzzamil, leader of the group, the younger generation in the Eastern coast shows a big interest in joining the group and learning this unique tradition.

Kali Kambaattam from Akkaraipattu in Ampara district, South West of Sri Lanka

Murugan Thirunadanam:~
Kaavadi is a folk dance which is predominantly performed in temple rituals. The dancers carry a bow like structure on their shoulders and sway and twirl to the rhythmic song. The song is sung to Murugan, Maariyamman or Ganesh asking them to bless the villagers.

Bending sticks and decorating them with brightly colored cloths and peacock feathers make the Kaavadi. The folk art Murugan Thirunadanam has evolved in the Vanni district in a small village called Pulloppalai. Annaviyar Vallipuram Chelladurai learnt this art by watching his father and his grandfather dancing in the neighborhood temple Vazhividu Murugan. He has been performing and teaching this art to the villagers for the past 45 years. Murugan Thirunadanam is unique to any other Kavadis performed elsewhere. This form is Annaviyar Cheeladurai’s own rendition of the original art and it’s endemic to Pulloppalai.In this form wooden statues of Peacocks and deities are brought on stage as part of the story telling. Annaviyar Chelladurai was awarded the Governor’s award as recognition for his services to this art form and his efforts to keep it alive.

Murugan Thirunadanam from Puloppalai, North f Sri Lanka

Magudi Attam:~
This particular Kooththu is performed in Mulliyawalai in Mullaithivu District. It depicts the story of an incident which has taken place. While the temple festival takes place, some businessmen who are non~Hindus (Muslims) arrive in Mulliyawalai. The immediately put up huts and begin their business. The Chief priest of thiparticulr temple along with his assistant visit the stalls and buy things which are needed for the festival. The Chief priest did not have enough money to pay. The seller says “Do not worry, we can collect the balance later”. The Chief priest and assistants leave the stall and continue to carry out the rituals during the festival.

Two days later, the seller goes into the temple with dried fish to collect the balance from the Chief Priest. Seeing the seller with dried fish, the Chief priest of the temple got angry and ordered the seller to leave the temple immediately. But the seller was annoyed and refused to leave the temple premises. It leads to heated argument. The seller tried to smash the Kumbam (traditional holy pot) which is kept under the Kodi Maram (tower where flag is hoisted during the festive time). But he failed and fainted.

Later, the relative of the seller rushes to the temple upon hearing the news. He apologized on behalf of the seller, the Chief priest forgives the seller, and sprinkles holy water. The seller becomes conscious and apologises for his mistake.
The seventh generation from Mulliyawalai is currently performing Magudi Aattam after 45 years.

Magudi Attam from Mulliyawalai, North West of Sri Lanka

Professor S. Maunaguru:~
Born in Batticaloa, Professor S. Maunaguru has made many achievements in performance and research in the field of Theatre during the last 40 years. He has made profound contributions to Sri Lankan Theater especially to the traditional theater of Batticaloa Koothu.He has produced plays while working both in university of Jaffna and in Eastern University of Sri Lanka. Professor S. Maunaguru is an actor, author, director. His contribution to Tamil Theatre in Sri Lanka is immense as an innovator. He has written over 25 books and 15 plays in Tamil.

He was awarded by the Sri Lankan state and by civil organizations for his work, contributions & publications in the field of Theater including the Sahidya Mandala award. He is a former Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Head of the Department of Fine arts and the Head of the

Sawami Vipulananda institute of aesthetic studies at the Eastern University Sri Lanka. At the Jaffna Music Festival Professor S.Maunaguru and his group performed:~
● Songs of the Soil (Folk Music of Eastern Sri Lanka) Batticaloa is situated in the eastern Cost of
Sri Lana. It is an area endowed with sea, jungle and paddy fields. The people of Batticaloa drew their
livelihood from natural resources. The social structure found among the Tamils here differs from
that of other parts of Sri Lanka. This programme revels the significant character of Batticaloa. This
programme introduces the deferent types of folk songs of Batticaloa
● Raavanesan (A play based on Vadamody Kooththu style of folk theatre of Batticaloa) Vadamody Kooththu
is a traditional theatre among the theatrical forms of Batticaloa. This narrative theater composed of
music and dance has been traditionally performed in the village all throughout the night on a round
stage. In this production of Raavanesan the potential theatre elements of the rich Kooththu traditions
have been exploited to create a new influential theatre.

Professor S. Maunaguru from Batticaloa

Kovalan Kooththu:~
This Kooththu is very popular in the Mullaithivu district for the last 7th generations. The legend associated with Kannaki and Kovalan provides the theme of this Kooththu. Mathalam and thalam are the instruments used in the background. The performance is usually enacted in front of the temple in a circular stage. The story of Silappathikaaram, one of the five main epics in Tamil literature is narrated in this Kooththu. Kannaki is considered the goddess of chastity. She burns down the entire city of Mathurai for the unjust caused to her husband, when he was sentenced to death by the Pandya king for being suspected for stealing the queen’s silambu (a thick anklet filled with bells). In the Mulliyawalai village people believe it was god herself who came down to earth as Kannaki.

Like in many other villages in the North, the villagers mainly perform this Kooththu to pray for better harvest and protection from sickness. The main dancers in this folk drama prepare themselves for almost one month, purifying their minds and bodies through worship and good religious practices.

Kovalan Kooththu from Mullaithivu, North West of Sri Lanka

Kaffir Manja:~
The Sri Lankan Kaffirs (cafrinhas in Portuguese, kapiriyo in Sinhala, and kapili in Tamil) are an ethnic group in Sri Lanka who are partially descended from 16th century. The Kaffirs were brought to Sri Lanka as a source of labour and were also used as soldiers to fight against the Sri Lankan kings, most probably in the Sri Lankan–Portuguese War, Portuguese seafarers carried the first kaffirs to what was then Sri Lanka in the 1500s, most likely from Mozambique.

Kaffirs are proud to be Sri Lankans, they also acknowledge their African history. Promoting their music allows their future generations to better understand the Kaffir's history. Sri Lanka Kaffir culture is a direct link back to their distant African past which is rapidly disappearing. Baila is a form of dance music popular in Sri Lanka, originating centuries ago among the Kaffirs or Afro-Sinhalese communities (mixed communities consisting of Portuguese, African and native Sinhalese people), and was later amalgamated with European instruments and eastern and western rhythms, especially rhythms found in Spain and northern European folk music. The group “Kaffer Manja” was established in 1980. Since then they have been performing at hotels and open stages island-wide. The group consists of 12 members who are between 23 ~ 60 years old. Recently the group stared a Community Based Organization (CBO) called “Kaffer Stella (Kaffir Stars). A fraction of their income from shows is deposited in the CBO account to do a big Kaffir Cultural Show in the coming year. 'Kaffir culture' is a video portrait of one such community and the struggle to keep their culture alive in the face of falling numbers.

Kaffir Manja from Siraambiyadi, North West of Sri Lanka

Kappal Paattu:~
The song portrays the colonial era , and describes stories formed through existed relationship between the British and the natives. During the Colonial period, a British ship sailed to Nagar Kovil. The people of that village, where promised a better life only to be shipped abroad for labour. When the people realised this, they cried out for help, begging the crew to release them. A snake from Nagar Kovil then entered the ship. The ship’s captain then proceeded to slice the snake only to find hundreds of other snakes emerged from within. The ship unable to continue with its journey, released the villagers back to the shores of Nagar Kovil. However the snakes did not leave. Upon further inspection it was found that a little girl and a cat from Nagar Kovil were still inside the ship. Only after their release the snakes finally left the ship. Every year, Artists dressed according to the various characters of this story, stand around a small ship, and sing and act this story during the Nagar Kovil festival. The audiences sit on the sandy beaches, around the singers and watch them perform in moon light.

Kappal Paattu from Nagar Kovil in Jaffna district

Sabaragamuwa Bali:~
Started in 2004, Ravi Nethra Dancing Academy is well known in the Sabaragamuwa province. Members of the dancing academy are the fourth generation folk musicians.
The dancing team has performed in foreign countries like, Malaysia, Oman, India and Philippines and has won the first place at the inter-school dancing competition from 1987 to date. Their dance tradition still plays the most vital role at certain cultural and traditional festive occasions. They are: The Perehera, Yaktovil, Kirimadu, Pahanmadu, Gam-madu, Clergy processions and festival drums. Certain features like, hands and feet formations, instruments, style of play and costumes are unique to the Sabaragamuwa dance tradition.

According to ancient records the dancer is required to adorn a costume similar to that worn by god Saman of the Saman Devalaya. Their formation of dance requires much skill that only comes with practice. Only an experienced tutor will poses the necessary skills to train others. Usually the training period requires 3-4 months. The academy also conducts training programs and workshops in schools to create awareness on folk music among the school children, which in turn helps them to preserve this unique piece of folk culture.

Sabaragamuwa Bali dance

Uzhavar Nadanam:~
Uzhavar Nadanam is a folk dance based on the farming life of Villagers in the Vanni area and it describes the origins and the life style of the Vanni district. Uzhavar
Nadanam is an art which has been danced for many centuries. The singers chant about farmers working hard in the fields, enjoying the cool breeze, the dancing peacocks and the singing cuckoos. The dancers enact the Vanni farmers’ daily life style: the farmers getting up before day break, visiting the small Pillaiyar which is near a lotus pond and praying for a good day, plowing the land, fertilizing the soil, weeding, planting seedlings, eating together under the shades of road side trees and enjoying the beauty of the passing village girls and so on. The middle part a dance shows the farmers harvesting, removing the chaff of the seeds, separating the chaff from the rice using a ‘sulaku’, tying them in to sacks and loading them on bullock carts to be taken away. And the final part shows the Thai Pongal festival where the people thank the Sun god for a bountiful harvest, making milk rice and celebrating the year’s harvest. The song is called "Vanni Vayaloram".

Uzhavar Nadanam from Vavnuiya district, North of Sri Lanka

Upcountry dancing:~
Situated at Warakapola, “Ranganath Dancing Academy”, is well known for up country or Kandyan dance which took its name from Kandy, the last royal capital of Ceylon.
This art is still closely intertwined with religious rituals which are accompanied by the complex rhythms of several drummers to appease to local deities. The percussion instrument used is a wooden drum with leather heads of monkey skin at one end and cowhide at the other. Two different types of skins make room for contrasting tones. Dancers, usually women go through a routine of sinuous poses and flowing arm movements. This genre is today considered the classical dance of Sri Lanka. In Sanskrit terminology it is considered pure dance (nrtta); it features a highly developed system of tala (rhythm), provided by cymbals called thalampataa. With the objective of bringing these unique Sri Lankan upcountry folk dance and singing styles into the limelight, the professional dancers started the, “Ranganath Dancing Academy” in 1946. The academy has won many national and international-level awards for their wonderful expression of a country's diverse culture and tradition. Among them are; Kalasoori President Award, Sumathi Award in 2003 and OCIC Award in 2003 Tele Drama Awards Festival. Also the group members represented Sri Lanka as the “Eminent Folk Singer” for the South Asian Folklore Festival held in 2008 in New Delhi, India. Presently, the academy comprises of 40 students, a research unit, arts museum and a new dancing creation unit.

Upcountry dancing and traditional singing from Warakapola

Karaham:~
Karaham has been and still is danced in many villages . Hence unique music styles for the dance have flourished in each village to suit the local taste Karakam is a
decorated cone-like structure, which the dancers balance on their heads while they dance. The performers sit and stand, swaying to the various tunes. It could also be described as a parade dance, because the dancers dance along the village streets and people would stand outside their houses to watch this parade. Now it is mostly performed in temple courtyards. The art of dancing, while balancing an embellished structure, was said to have begun when villagers started dancing, while balancing the baskets they carried on their heads to the fields. Karakam is now danced during temple festivals, as a pledge to god and purely for entertainment. The accompaniment includes Uddukku (a small hand drum) and Parai, both used for the loud sound they produce. During temple festivals, Nathaswaram (a long trumpet like wind instrument) and thavil (drum commonly played with the Naathaswaram) are also used. Generally a group of ten dancers dance in a synchronized form for the accompaniment of a group of singers. Traditionally the songs which were sung and played were thevarams (stanzas praising god). But now South Indian cinema tunes are played to provide entertainment to the audience. It is said the Karakam becomes more and more exciting and fast towards the end and sometimes the audience are pulled by the power of this music to start dancing with the performers.

Karaham from Point Pedro in Jaffna district, North of Sri Lanka

Kaaman Kooththu:~
“Kaaman Kooththu ”, a Mahabharatham based play staged by “Kalayaha Makkal Kalai
Arangu”, the Tamil theatre group is on in the neighborhood of Portree Division of Norwood. This is a different kind of entertainment, when it comes to sets, props, costumes and the stage itself. Very direct but powerful is the portrayal of the characters. The play has attracted a good audience in the up country as well as other areas of Sri Lanka. The play moves briskly and keeps the audience absorbed. The play is based on the episode of Madhan and Radhi’s love affair – amidst god Siva plans to kill Madhan. Different actors doing a role in various scenes, different roles done by a single actor are interesting aspects of this production. The demonstration of some characters like Komali (joker), Kuravan and Kurathi, puts a smile on everyone’s lips. All these actors are professional artists; they formed the group 25 years ago. They also play Ponnar Sangar, Arjunan Thabasu, Nalla Thangal and Kadei.

Kaaman Kooththu from Norwood, hill country side of Sri Lanka

Kohomba Kankariya:~
In Kandy , where Kohomba Kankariya ev olved , Nishan Rampitiye Dancing Academy has been performing this art for generations. Well known for Kohomba Kankariya
and Bali, the group has around 50 performing artists. It takes nearly five years or more to arrange a full Kohomba Kankariya performance - the most difficult point is to
scour the professional dancers who know the procedures well and the Kankariya itself.
The Khohomba Kankariya contains a number of episodes around an incident. Kohomba Kankariya ritual is performed to ensure freedom from diseases, invoke blessings and for the people to live in prosperity. The blessings are expected to manifest only in the location that Kohomba Kankariya is enacted, so that if any others want such blessings, they too are compelled to enact Kohomba Kankariya in their own areas, thereby ensuring more people would make offerings to please the 'Yakka' (devil) separately for their well-being! The Bali ceremony is a mixture of Buddhism and folk religion. The ritual consists of dancing and drumming in front of the Bali figures by the Bali artist (Bali-adura), who continuously recites propitiatory stanzas calling for protection and redress. The patient (aturaya) sits by the side of the Bali figures. The Bali artist is helped by a number of assistants working under him. The academy is very proud to be winning national and international level awards and the Presidential Award for “Skillfull Wes Natum Artist of 2009 – 2010”.

Kohomba Kankariya from Kandy

Villisai:~
This is the most popular form of traditional story telling amongst Tamils. Villu Paatu means bow song. It is told in folk history that soldiers of the Sera, Chola and
Pandiya Kingdoms in South India initially performed the villu paatu during the nights when they were resting after battle. They used their villus (bows) and amours to createmusic and tell stories for entertainment. Later this was revised by poets in South India and stories from epics and of kings were sung in this art. Usually a single person is the singer, storyteller and actor in this performance who beats the bow while he sings. The accompanying instruments are miruthangam and harmonium. The performance is usually based on traditional stories, in order to attract the public. Contemporary issues which are not connected to the main storyline are also carefully interwoven without distorting the main story. Contemporary issues are also used as themes in the recent past. Although Villu Paatu emphasises on an underlying moral in most of its stories, humor is incorporated a great deal into the story telling.

Sinnamani Villisai from Achchuveli in Jaffna district, North of Sri Lanka

Saman Panapitiya & Mathra:~
Each and every ethnic group of the world has its own culture and identity. All these cultural aspects come from ancient times, and should be considered the national
heritage of any society. Today some of these aspects seem to be gradually vanishing. It is important to preserve these traditions, and educate the younger generations of our societies of the value of these cultures and traditions, so that they too can do their part in protecting and preserving our cultural heritage. It was to achieve this mission that the folk group ‘Mathra’ was formed. They will present traditional folk songs onstage, with modern music. They will be performing the folk songs of Andahera, Nelum, Goyam Kavi, Pathal Kavi, Bambara Kavi using modern methods and musical arrangements, to sing song first sung by their ancestors.

Saman Panapitiya & Mathra from Colombo

Papparavaaham Kooththu:~
This is one of the Kooththu practiced amongst Tamils in the Chulipuram area. It is now going to be performed again after nearly twenty year. The story of Papparavaham is connected to the legend Mahabharata. Papparavaaham goes on to tell the story of the great fight between father and son, Arjuna the great archer in the epic Mahabharath and Papparavaahan, who captured a horse his father released during a Yaga (offering to the gods).

Papparavaahan wins the battle killing his father. But ultimately due to the intervention of the gods Arjuna is revived back to life. The men perform to the sound of the thalam ringing with an annaviyar singing, backed by sallari and mathalam. The performance usually takes place in a circular space in the Kovil compound.. The audience is seated on the three sides of the performing space. The performers do not use modern facilities such as loudspeaker.This Kooththu is performed only during the temple periods. Almost a century ago, it was said that real horses and elephants were brought in during the performance to add grandeur to the performance.

Papparavaaham Kooththu from Chulipuram in Jaffna district, North of Sri Lanka

Daha Ata Sanniya:~
Denipitiya Dancing Group focuses on typical southern dance forms -Ruhunu dancing - which is ritualistic and originates from pre-Buddhist folk religion and traditions. It is renowned for the use of oversized colorful masks. It is believed that masks propitiate the gods to cure illness caused by demons. With members descending
from generations of dancers from the Southern Province, the troupe is determined to preserve a rich legacy while blending different forms of dance to create a distinctive style.

Another form of Ruhunu tradition is devil dancing. The troupe adopts different styles of devil dancing in addition to other forms of low country dancing. These include Sooniyam,Sanni Yakuma, Rata Yakuma and Mahason Samayama. The patron of Denipitiya Polwatta Traditional Dancing Group is Chandrarathna Wadasingha. He has been involved in preserving and passing on the tradition of southern dancing style which he learned from his grandparents. Chandrarathna represents the ninth generation of their tradition and he is teaching the art to his son and the youth in the area. Denipitiya Dancing Group has toured to Japan in 1985 and performed in front of a large gathering in Tokyo.

Daha Ata Sanniya from Denipitiya

Isai Naadagam : Poothathamby:~
Isai Nadakam , (musical) evolved from the Parsi theatre tradition, which introduced a structured theater form in India. This form of theater is popular for its use of
colorful stage backdrops and became popular in many parts in India especially in Bombay.

Sangarathas Swamikal, the author of many scripts is considered the father of Isai Nadakam. It is believed the story Poothathambi was written by Sangarathas during his
stay in Jaffna, even though the original script was never discovered. Poothathambi, as it’s performed today is a modified version of the original script. The actors sing as they act in ‘Poothathambi’. The songs are composed according to the rules of Carnatic music, and the ragas and thaalas are set according to the moods of the play. The songs are accompanied by a harmonium, cymbals, miruthangam and a violin. Traditionally, songs narrate stories found in ancient epics. But Poothaththambi is a story which is set during the Dutch period in Jaffna. The Dutch had a practice of appointing Natives to help in their administration. Pooththathambi was appointed as a ‘manthiri’. The story proceeds, that one of the officers fell in love with Pooththathambi’s wife and made advances at her. Unsuccessful, he tricked Poothathambi in to signing a blank paper. The paper was used to frame charges of treachery that he was plotting with the Kandyan Kings to over throw the Dutch.

Isai Naadagam : Poothathamby from Alvai in Jaffna district, North of Sri Lanka

Kolam:~
Though origin of Kolam is, by now, untraceable, this unique form of mask dance has settled down along the Southern coastal line during the British occupation of Sri Lanka.Over many generations, the clan of Podi Singjoo in the Southern coastal fisheries township of Mirissa have been preserving and passing on the tradition of Kolam and low country folk dance to the posterity. People gather in large numbers when folk rituals are performed in ‘Gam-Maduwa’ by Podi Singjoo dancing team. A gam-maduwa is an elaboration of rituals based on age-old customs and traditions. It is performed in a temporary shed erected for the occasion. It is of special interest to the farmers, for whom a gam-maduwa would bring in blessings of the gods for success in their agricultural activities. Others too believe that it would bring a lot of good to the village. It falls into the category of rituals known as 'shanti
karma' and is a ritual with mass participation. Being a rare event, it attracts village-folk from the surrounding villages as well. Young members of the clan like G.G Padmasiri and his dancing team stand out for their dedication and commitment to preserving this inimitable tradition of Kolam and Folk Dance which, for them, is a way of life.

Kolam from Mirissa, South of Sri Lanka

International Groups:~

Manganiar Group ~ India:~
The Manganiar Group is known for their traditional Indian folk music, and seen as some of the most sophisticated musicians of the Western Rajasthan. The folk music group come from the district of Barmer in Rajasthan, also called the land of kings, and famous for their folk music, and generations of professional musicians. They are seen as the descendants of the Rajputs – the Kings of Rajasthan, in the way that their songs are passed on from generation to generation, making them effectively keepers of the history of the desert. Their songs are about all parts of life; love, weddings, birth, or any family festivity. Amongst the instruments they play, is the remarkable bowed instrument the ‘Kamayacha’, with its big, circular resonator, giving out an impressive deep, booming sound.

Manganiar Group from India

Sibikwa ~ South Africa:~
Sibikwa Arts Centre is South Africa’s leading multi disciplinary art centre and has been designated a centre of excellence by the Department of Arts &Culture. Established in 1988 and situated in Benoni 45km east of the centre of Johannesburg ,Sibikwa has seven rehearsal spaces, a dance studio an art studio ,administration block and a state of the art black box theatre with 220 seats. Sibikwa runs several programmes amongst them the African Indigenous Orchestra which has been so generously supported by the South African- Norwegian Music Cooperation (MMINO) for several years. The seven piece African Indigenous Orchestra uses traditional African instruments such as horns, uhadi (African bow instruments),marimbas,drums and mbira to create a sound for the 21st century. The African Indigenous Orchestra’s music is a celebration of the traditional and the new and plays itself out through lulling, moving subtleties of sound and movement to high energy beats. The performances are always guaranteed to be a feast for the senses.

Sibikwa from South Africa

Tindra ~ Norway:~
The musicians are educated from The Norwegian Academy of Music, and founded the trio Tindra in the year 2000. The members are Åshild Vetrhus (born 1978) from Suldal in Rogaland, Jorun Marie Rypdal Kvernberg (born 1979) from Fræna in Romsdal and Irene Tillung(born 1977) from Voss. Tindra has won first prize in the open category of the National Contest for Traditional Music (2003) and was a finalist in INTRO-folk, Concerts Norway’s competition for launching new talent (2005). The group has toured Norway under the auspices of Concerts Norway, and has presented concerts in Europe and Asia. Tindra released their debut CD, Lukkeleg vaking, in 2006. This album was nominated for Spellemansprisen (Norwegian Grammy). In 2009 they released an album named “Den kvite hjorten” (The white deer), wich contains self composed music for a childrens play. Their third album was recorded in January this year, and will be released in April. Tindra means “sparkle. Their musical arrangements and performances are colourful, energetic, partly humorous, passionate and rough.

The three young women of Tindra provide innovative renditions of the tunes of their ancestors, as well as crafting their own songs, powered by strong West Norwegian traditions and a clear view of modern musical styles. The group shows their sincere musicality through their performances as well as a charming ability to communicate their stories and their music. The themes of the songs are universal ~ love, marriage, tragedies in life and death.

Tindra from Norway

Bharta, Dangol & Durga ~ Nepal:~
Nuchhe Bahadur Dangolhas been palying the madal (Nepali drum) since the age of five. At thirteen, he began learning Nepali folk dance from his father. A few years
later, he was invited to perform at King Mahendra’s coronation ceremony. During his set, Nuchhe fell off the stage and broke his back. Unfortunately he could no longer dance after the surgery. Nuchhe then devoted his time to studying and teaching the drums of Nepal at Tribhuvan University. Nuchhe is known for his twenty-two piece folk drum set, which contains many madals tuned to different pitches. He has performed on his invention for Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Albert Hall. Currently, he is conducting research on Dhime, Madal, folk songs and Chariya dance, in addition to teaching madal at NMC.

Durga Prasad Khatiwada first blew through a bansuri at the age of seven. After three years of teaching himself to play, he began making his own flutes. During his
time in India, Durga finished as the first runner up in both the All India Radio Music Competition in 2000, and the All India Youth Music Competition in 2002. Since then, Durga has performed in France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany, as well as across the Subcontinent. He has been teaching bansuri for the past four years at NMC.

Bharta, Dangol & Durga from Nepal

Sabreen Association:~
*Charlie Rishmawi: A Palestinian multi-instrumentalist, born in 1986 in Kuwait. Growing up, he developed a love for different musical genres especially Ethnic, Classical, Jazz, and Contemporary
music. By age 11 he started to play the Piano and the Transverse Flute. He performed in many International festivals with different bands as a Bass, Guitar, or Oud player. After his graduation from The National Conservatory of Music in Bethlehem, he worked as a music instructor in The Dhow Countries Academy of Zanzibar/Africa for two years. Charlie has composed musical soundtracks for local and international movies and is currently working as a music teacher and music arranger in several studios. He performs at school concerts with Sabreen Association.

*Ibrahim Khalil Najem: A Palestinian Oud and Contrabass player, born in Nablus, in 1983 in Palestine. Graduated from Edward Said National Conservatory of Music Beit Sahour, Palestine.Ibrahim attended many courses and workshops at local and international level. He has performed in school concerts with Sabreen Association and now is the head of the cultural Unit ~ Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department at Al~Quds University Abu- Dis, Palestine.

*John Robert Handal: A musician, born in Jerusalem in 1982 and living in Bethlehem. He has worked with Sabreen Association for Artistic Development since 2003 as a percussion trainer and has led workshops for students and teachers as a sound technician. He graduated from E’cole De Frere in Bethlehem in 2001. John is a Percussionist and piano player, and has done musical arrangements
for songs and documentary films. He is also member in many Palestinian musical groups. He has performed in Norway, Germany, Italy, Nepal and United States of America.

Sabreen Association from Palestine

Quotes from the festival site:~

1.“I began to dance Karagam, when I was 16 year old. I am 78 year old now, still I dance Karagam. It is a duty of all of us to preserve the Folk art” says Ramupillai Murugupillai from Mulliyawalai.

2.“This is my first visit to Jaffna. I had second thoughts when I was invited to perform in Jaffna ~ such as how will the Jaffna Tamil people welcome us and treat us. But, after reaching Jaffna, I was stunned to see their warm welcome, true love and care they showered towards the Non~Tamil speaking artistes. My thought was proven wrong.

I am delighted to be part of the Jaffna Music Festival 2011. I exchanged my knowledge with the fellow Tamil Folk artistes, and I learnt from them as well, although there is a language barrier.
I feel very sad and cosy to leave Jaffna. I love the people of Jaffna and their tradition. Even though, they have faced many hardships in life during the war, I am amazed to see how well they have preserved their unique culture. I invite the Tamil folk artistes to visit the Sinhala areas and exchange their tradition and values with us” says Nishantha Rampitiya, Sinhala Folk artiste from Deldeniya.

3.“Folk music in Norway is a soloist performance, but we have made a few changes for the group. We try to keep the originality of the folk songs, when we perform” say Nowegian singer Ashid Vetrhus

4.“There should be more festivals such as this to encourage the talents. We should enjoy, experiment and exchange different forms of folk” says Thushyanthy Balasuntharam from Batticalao

5.“It is an excellent opportunity to be here in Jaffna. We enjoy playing and learning from other folk music groups” says Petere Loui of Kafeer Manja

6.“The music festival is very good as local and international cultures from different backgrounds get to perform in one stage. It is our first visit to the North, and we are happy because the festival has provided us a great opportunity to get to know different cultures” says Eshani Ranganath of the Ranganath Dancing Academy.

7.“The music and culture here is very different here. We love being here and love the different costumes everyone is wearing during the performance and festival” says Thandi Dube of Sibikwa from South Africa.

8.“Jaffna tradition is interwoven with folk music and dance. Earlier, the famous Kooththus from Jaffna were performed from dusk to dawn. But due to the war, the situation changed, people got displaced, and could not continue practicing and performing the folk music and dance.
Jaffna Music Festival is a landmark event which creates opportunity and connects musicians, dancers and people across borders” says Thirugnanam Tharmalingam, Co-ordinator for the Tamil folk groups of Jaffna Music festival 2011.

9.“We lost the night life in Jaffna due to war. We slowly begin to enjoy being out till late. Festivals help people to preserve our culture and tradition” says a Tuk Tuk driver Dinesh who enjoyed the festival.

10.“We love singing the “Ratha Ratha” song continuously for the festival goers in Jaffna. The response is instant; they immediately get up and dance, which encouraged us endlessly. We are delighted that we drove the crowd wild!” says Nehru Khan while chewing betel leaves with arecanuts in Jaffna way.

11. “We are proud to be in Jaffna to perform. Folk music and dance should be celebrated by all” says Robert Handal from Palestine.

12. “We should not lose our tradition and it values. They need to be preserved for many generations” says Santhirasegaram Sivasithambaram from Mulliyawalai.

13. “It’s encouraging to see young performers at the festival. Festivals such as this add colour and courage to all” says Nuchhe Bahadur Dangol from Nepal.

14. “We are best known for our unique folk music and dance. But, it is quite unfortunate due to three decade of war, our traditional art forms have “nearly died” in Vanni. “Kovalan Kooththu” and “Magudi Aattam” were very famous in Vanni three decades ago, and performed throughout the nights for more than15 hours during temple festivals. Jaffna Music Festival has helped to revive, rejuvenate, resurrect and preserve the unique art form” says Kanapathipillai Arunthaharan, Senior Lecturer of Department of Tamil at the University of Jaffna.

15.“I and my friends are interested in music. We are delighted to see such a music festival is happening in Jaffna. We are able to enjoy African music, Palestinian music and so on. And, we are also able to enjoy some Tamil folk music traditions which are dying off from the practice. I heard about puppetry and storytelling, but I am witnessing these art forms for the time in my life, and I am delighted to be here.
There is no language or religion for music. Anybody can enjoy music. Communities in Sri Lanka are divided over the years due to the war. Music should be used to heal our hearts and minds, which are divided for decades” Eroshan Puviraj, Student of Engineering faculty, University of Moratuwa.

16.“People of Jaffna are very courteous. They have a unique tradition of art, music and dance. We are glad to be in Jaffna to perform” says Rohana Baddege from Horana.

17. “It’s a huge honour to be invited to be part of the Jaffna Music Festival. It is a fantastic festival, where culture is exchanged extensively. We are in small pockets where we rarely know what’s happening in our own island. People say that “This is great for Jaffna”, but I think it is fantastic for the entire country.

Communities are divided geographically. There is no resentment. I think that is fascinating. Men, women and children of Jaffna have gratitude and welcoming, which is huge. We need to have festivals like this which facilitate us to understand other communities” Sulochana Dissanayake, Puppeteer from Colombo.

Festival site at dusk

Festival goers on feet at the grand finale

More photos of the Jaffna Music Festival 2011 can be viewed on

http://www.flickr.com/photos/passionparade/sets/ 72157626419397988/

Navaaliyoor Somasunthara Pulavar ~ Passionate Poet of Jaffna

2011-05-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

Today ~ 25th of May 2011 is Jaffna’s greatest and finest Tamil poet Navaaliyoor Somasunthara Pulavar’s 133rd birth anniversary. He was born on 25th of May 1878 in Navaaly in Jaffna Peninsula, North of Sri Lanka.Navaaliyoor Somasunthara Pulavar lived in Jaffna from 1878 - 1953. He has composed more than 15,000 poems. His parents were Kathirgamar and Ilakkumipillai from Navaaly. He has written many inspiring poems in Tamil. He learnt Tamil language and literature from Navaaliyoor Arunachchalam master. Navaaliyoor Somasunthara Pulavar has mastered the Tamil language very well and became famous.

Statue of Jaffna’s all time favourite poet Navaaliyoor Somasunthara Pulavar. This statue was erected in 1971 by Jaffna’ famous soap makers ~ Milk White.

The following song is still popular among Jaffna Tamils:~

ஆடிப் பிறப்புக்கு நாளை விடுதலை
ஆனந்தம் ஆனந்தந் தோழர்களே!
கூடிப் பனங்கட்டிக் கூழுங் குடிக்கலாம்
கொழுக்கட்டை தின்னலாம் தோழர்களே!

பாசிப்பயறு வறுத்துக் குற்றிச் செந்நெற்
பச்சையரிசி இடித்துத் தெள்ளி
வாசப் பருப்பை அவித்துக் கொண்டு நல்ல
மாவைப் பதமாய் வறுத்தெடுத்து
வேண்டிய தேங்காய் உடைத்துத் துருவியே
வேலூரிற் சர்க்கரை யுங்கலந்து
தோண்டியில் நீர்விட்டு மாவை யதிற்கொட்டிச்
சுற்றிக் குழைத்துத் திரட்டிக் கொண்டு
வில்லை வில்லையாக மாவைக் கிள்ளித் தட்டி
வெல்லக் கலவையை உள்ளேயிட்டுப்
பல்லுக் கொழுக்கட்டை அம்மா அவிப்பளே
பார்க்கப் பார்க்கப் பசி தீர்ந்திடுமே
பூவைத் துருவிப் பிழிந்து பனங்கட்டி
போட்டுமா வுருண்டை பயறுமிட்டு
மாவைக் கரைத்தம்மா வார்த்துத் துழாவுவள்
மணக்க மணக்கவா யூறிடுமே
குங்குமப் பொட்டிட்டுப் பூமாலை சூடியே
குத்துவிளக்குக் கொழுத்தி வைத்து
அங்கிள நீர்பழம் பாக்குடன் வெற்றிலை
ஆடிப் படைப்பும் படைப்போமே
வன்னப் பலாவிலை ஓடிப் பொறுக்கியே
வந்து மடித்ததைக் கோலிக்கொண்டே
அன்னை அகப்பையால் அள்ளி அள்ளிவார்க்க
ஆடிப் புதுக்கூழ் குடிப்போமே
வாழைப் பழத்தை உரித்துத் தின்போம்நல்ல
மாவின் பழத்தை அறுத்துத் தின்போம்
கூழைச் சுடச்சுட ஊதிக் குடித்துக்
கொழுக்கட்டை தன்னைக் கடிப்போமே

ஆடிப் பிறப்புக்கு நாளை விடுதலை
ஆனந்தம் ஆனந்தந் தோழர்களே!
கூடிப் பனங்கட்டிக் கூழும் குடிக்கலாம்
கொழுக்கட்டை தின்னலாம் தோழர்களே!

கொழுக்கட்டை ~ Kozhukattai ~ Tamil traditional sweet is made at a Hindu house to celebrate the Aadi Pirappu or the birth of the Tamil month Aadi

His poem about the Scare Crow ~ கத்தரி வெருளி ~"Kaththari Veruli" (scare crow in an eggplant garden) is very famous among the children.

"நாமகள் புகழ் மாலை"~ “Naamagal Pugazh Maalai” is a famous collection of poems by Navaaliyoor Somasunthara Pulavar. This particular photo focuses on the close up of the book on the lap of the statue of Jaffna’s all time favourite poet Navaaliyoor Somasunthara Pulavar

A Blissful Journey In Search of LOVE

2011-05-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

"Music fills the indefinite between the two souls” ~ Rabindranath Tagore,(7th May 1861 ~ 7th August 1941), (Indian Poet, Playwright and Essayist ~ Won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913)

Emperor of Indian saxophone Padmasri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath in Colombo

Music can melt anybody’s heart; Music breaks barriers; and Music build bridges!. Sri Raama Naama Gaanaamirtham ~ Isai Velvi 2011, an enchanting carnatic music festival was organised by the Colombo Kamban Kazhagam. Once more he took us to the rich and lovely world of south Indian classical music The city of Colombo witnessed the finest carnival of carnatic music for six days. Ardent music lovers thronged and waited till late night to listen to some of the finest carnatic musicians from India.

Padmashri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath has been decorating the Sri Raama Naama Gaanaamirtham ~ Isai Velvi for many years in Colombo. He walked into the Raamakrishna Mission hall in Wellawatte with glittering bottle green and gold dhoti and Kurta and a matching shawl with a long coral beads chain to decorate the grand finale of Sri Raama Naama Gaanaamirtham ~ Isai Velvi 2011. He worshiped audience, stage, accompanying artistes, the Naatha Vinayagar (Musical Lord Vinayagar0 who has been on the stage for six days and a brand new saxophone.

He played light classical music and deep improvisations on a sparkling saxophone.He beautifully and divinely played “Sinnan Siru Pen Pole”, “Salangai Katti Odi Vaa Vaa”, Kurai Ondrum Illai”, “Endaro Mahanubhavu” (Thyagaraja Keerthanai), and “Magudi” (Being played by the snake charmers to make the snakes dance to its tune) to name a few among many fusions. The festive goers began to furtively look around for an approaching snake in the Raamakrishna Mission Hall, and folded their legs to the chair.
When he beautifully and blissfully played “Kurai Ondrum Illai” ~ குறையொன்றும் இல்லை மறைமூர்த்தி கண்ணா ; குறையொன்றும் இல்லை கண்ணா ; குறையொன்றும் இல்லை கோவிந்தா !

It translates in English as follows:~

No regrets have I
My lord,
None.
Lord of the Written Word,
My light, my sight,
My very eyes
No regrets,
None.

Many ardent music lovers shed tears while listening and watching him play live. These are a few examples to show how beautifully and blissfully he played from beginning till the end. An elderly lady got into uncontrollable trance.

In an exclusive interview with PassionParade while being swayed by the Sri Lankan audience, Padmashri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath mentions “The acceptance by the audience is overwhelming. I have been drawn to carnatic music lovers in Sri Lanka. They are very enthusiastic and being part of an enchanting event. They add colour and spirit to the festival”.

Padmashri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath was awarded “Padmashri” in 2004 by the Government of India for his distinguished contribution to carnatic music. Padmashri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India after the Bharat ratna, the Pama Vibhushan, and the Padma Bhushan. On ot observe, the words “Padma” ~ meaning Lotus in Sanskrit, in Devanagari appear above and below a Lotus flower. The geometrical pattern on either side is burnished bronze. All embossing is in white gold. As of 2010, 2,336 people have received the award. The first Padmashri title was conferred in 1954.

“It takes a lot of Penance to become a good musician or an instrumentalist. One cannot become a celebrity overnight. It is sad that people these days want to steal the limelight without really going through the treacherous path of studenthood. I have worked for 20 years to learn to play the saxophone in the carnatic style.The carnatic music has a bright future, but a lot of hard work is needed” continues Padmashri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath dressed in dazzling bottle green and gold attire.

Renowned film director K. Balachander has used Padmasri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath ‘s saxophonic instrumentation for the Tamil movie “Duet”. “I played some 30 ragas for A.R.Rahman. He was not satisfied. Finally, I played Kalyana Vasantham, and he said, “Thats it”! After, DUET, I became famous” chuckles Padmashri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath.

“His bold and lushly interesting stories blissfully told through the saxophone. I feel like walking smoothly on a red carpet whenever I listen to him. He makes us smell the sounds of saxophone through seven tracks. I was in search of love and I found my love through a beautiful and blissful series of saxophone” DushiYanthan could not help blushing the truth.

Padmashri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath performs at Sri Raama Naama Gaanaamirtham ~ Isai Velvi 2011 in Colombo

Padmasri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath spends most of his time in intensive practicing and innovating notes.

“I have decided to skip my dinner in order to listen and watch Padmasri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath’s live performance. I do not want to miss any moment of the show” shares Arumugam Rajaratnam.

Padmashri Dr.Kadri Gopalnath ~ charming,simple and spirited musician stole the show. Swayed audience did not want him to stop playing although the time was 10.30pm.

“It is a rare opportunity to enjoy carnatic music under one roof. Music breaks barriers. People have suffered a lot due to the three decades long war, which was brought to an end two years ago. We have missed numerous opportunities to enjoy arts and culture due to the war. Our culture and tradition is unmatched and invaluable. Now, we need to recapture what we have lost to heal our hearts and minds” elaborates Arumugam Rajaratnam with emotion and tears.

“I continuously enjoyed the six days of music held in Colombo. The evenings were enchanting. Festival such as this encourages younger generation to treasure our rich culture and tradition” shares Gayathiri Selvarathnam.

More photos and videos of the Sri Raama Naama Gaanaamirtham ~ Isai Velvi 2011 can be viewed on
http://www.flickr.com/photos/passionparade/sets/ 72157626713591202/

Festival of Everlasting Prosperity and Eternal Success

2011-05-06T02:00:00.000-07:00

“Night's darkness is the bag that bursts with the GOLD of the dawn” ~Rabindranath Tagore, (7th May 1861 ~ 7th August 1941), (Indian Poet, Playwright and Essayist ~ Won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913)

Specially made beautiful fresh flower garlands for the festival

Lovers of GOLD are celebrating the festival of prosperity and good fortune.The word "Akshaya Tritiya" means the never diminishing in Sanskrit, and the day is believed to bring good luck, eternal prosperity and success. Buying gold is a popular activity on “Akshaya Tritiya”, as it is the ultimate symbol of wealth and prosperity. Gold and gold jewelry bought and worn on this day signify never diminishing good fortune. There are a few legends behind the celebration of the festival. One legend is “Akshaya Tritiya” traditionally the birthday of Lord Parasuraman, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

"The hand that gives is the hand that gathers" ~ is a timeless truth. One of the important Secrets of the universe for manifesting material success is to first give with a pure heart. This act according to the Vedas brings back the money manifold. On “Akshaya Tritiya”, the returns are not just manifold, they are infinite. Gold stands for goodness, purity, wealth and social standing in some cultures; there is an added aura of sanctity and divinity.

The jewellery shops are traditionally decorated in style with fresh flower garlands and bunces of Banana at the main entrance. Shops opened earlier than usual to cater the customers and served sweets and hot drinks such as coffee or tea.

"Gold is an investment. Jaffna Tamils have been investing in gold for many decades. They see gold as a life long asset. I always make it a point to invest big or small in gold on this auspicious day. It brings joy and prosperity. I buy jewellery for my fiancée.It shows a symbol of love and affection" says DushiYanthan while blushes away from camera.

The auspicious day fell on the second day of the new moon in Hindu month Siththirai on Rohini star on 6th of May 2011.“Akshaya Tritiya” falling on a Rohini star day is considered more auspicious and the day becomes specially sacred.

Bananna trees, bunches of Banana, fresh flower garlands and "Thoranam" decorate the main entrance

Lalitha Jewellery ~ pioneers in fine gold jewellery since 1951. They are world renowned for the unique craftsmanship and commitment

Traditional Hindu welcome at the main entrance

Shanthi Nilimini is seen busy with business

Akshaya Tritiya is one of the most widely celebrated festivals by the Hindus

Sugar cane candy and roasted Bengal gram are kept at the entrance to welcome the customers

Nishantha Perera, Jaganathan Sivananthan and Shanthi Nilmini are working out a price for a customer

Customers are seen busy buying gold

Hindus believe that buying gold on this auspicious day will multiply their wealth

Heavy downpour stopped for shopping

Dazzling Chariots parade as Tamil New Year dawns in Jaffna

2011-04-29T05:35:00.000-07:00

Flower petals are sprinkled as the deities leave for a colourful parade

The annual chariot or cart festival of Arulmigu Sri Ambalavaana Vetha Vinaayagar Temple in Thaavady, Jaffna was held on 14th of April 2011, on கரா ~ “Kara” Tamil Hindu new year day. Arulmigu Sri Ambalavaana Vetha Vinaayagar Temple is also known as Thaavady Pillaiyar temple.

A large number of devotees thronged the temple in the morning to take part in religious activities. Polished Brass deities had a divine bath at dawn, decorated with fresh flower garlands and silk clothes, they were carried by men devotees on their shoulders inside the temple, and brought out after an hour long colourful procession with prayers. Lord Vinayagar, Lord Murugan and Goddesses Valliyammai and Thievayaanai and Lord Sandeswarar were paraded in three chariots.

Three chariots were pulled by men and male kids, while women devotees joined them by carrying hot clay pot of burning camphor either on their heads or palms.

Beautifully decorated deities are being paraded

Coconuts are being smashed

"Geethaasaaram" at the entrance

An unusual version of Lord Pillaiyaar

A heap of coconuts kept in front of the main chariot for smashing as it leaves

A woman devotee prays inside the temple

Brass idols of four famous Sage

Colourful candy stall

View of vicinity during the festivity

Toys stall in Thaavady

Tireless men are seen carrying the heavyweight deities on their shoulders

Periyampillai Subramaniam (63) and his wife Annalakshmi Subramaniam (55)sell peanuts during the temple festival

As the dazzling chariots parade on an extremely warm day

The main chariot carries decorated Lord Panchcha Muga Vinaayagar ~ deity with five faces

Devotees at the festival

Men camphor carriers at the festival,which is quite a rare occasion in Jaffna

Decorated deities Lord Murugan,Goddesses Valliyammai and Theivayaanai in the chariot and on a parade

View of the Kopuram and Chariot together on “Kara” Tamil Hindu New Year

Women devotees are seen fulfilling their vows

Cute wooden carvings on the main chariot

Decorated idol of Sandeswarar parades

Peanuts for sale in a nearby stall

Vaithilingam Gunarajah (56) and his son Gunarajah Mithuraj (5)enjoy pulling the Lord Sandeswarar's chariot

Men devotees are seen fulfilling their vows

Men are seen pulling the chariot. This photo was taken while I steadily move being under and stooped with the speed of the main chariot which was moving with heavyweight

devotees thronged in large number despite the unusual warm weather

Traditional Thavil and Naathaswaram musicians take the lead

Scene in the vicinity

View of தண்ணீர்ப் பந்தல் ~ "Thanneer Panthal" ~ free drinks stall to quench thirst

Please click http://www.flickr.com/photos/passionparade/sets/72157626483780403/ to view more photos of the chariot festival.

Please click http://www.flickr.com/photos/passionparade/sets/72157626547265588/ to view Vasanthan Kooththu in Kokkuvil.

தமிழ் ஊடகத்துறையும் சுயாதீனச் செய்தியாளர்களும்

2011-04-09T23:43:00.000-07:00

ஊடகத் துறையானது ஏனைய துறைகளை விடப் புனிதமானது. கடினமானதும் கூட! இத் துறைத் தொழிலாகத் தேர்ந்தெடுப்பவர்கள் சிலர்; அதிலும் இத் துறையில் தொடர்ந்து நிற்பவர்கள் ஒரு சிலரே என்பது இங்கு குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது!

மேலும் பலர் ஊடகத் துறையைப் பகுதிநேரத் தொழிலாகவோ அல்லது சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலார்களாகவோ பணியாற்றி வருகின்றனர். இந்தியா உட்பட ஏனைய பல நாடுகளில் இவ்வாறான சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்கள் முழுநேர ஊடகவியலாளர்களைப் போன்றே கவனிக்கப்படுகின்றனர் என்பது இங்கு வலியுறுத்தப்பட வேண்டியதொன்று.

ஆனால் இலங்கையில் சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்களுக்கான தொழில்சார் வசதிகளோ அல்லது செய்தி சேகரிப்பிற்காகக் குறிப்பிடட் இடங்களுக்குப் பிரயாணம் செய்வதற்கான அனுமதியோ அல்லது அவர்களுக்கான தொழில்சார் அங்கீகாரத்தை வழங்குவதோ இல்லையென்று கூறினால் அது மிகையாகாது!

"நீங்கள் சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்கள் தானே?? எனப் பலர் சக சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்களைப் பார்த்துத் தரக் குறைவாகக் கேட்கும் சந்தர்ப்பங்களைப் பார்த்துள்ளேன்; கேட்டுள்ளேன். இது மிகவும் வருத்தத்திற்குரியது. இந்த நிலை உடனடியாக மாற வேண்டியது அவசியம்.

இலங்கையைப் பொறுத்த வரையில் சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்கள் அவர்கள் தொழில் புரியும் பத்திரிகை, இலத்திரனியல் மற்றும் இணையத் தளங்கள் ஆகிய அலுவலகங்களின் மூலம் கிடைக்கும் தொழில்சார் ஆதரவு மிகக்க குறைவு என்றே கூற வேண்டும். ஆனால் ஏனைய நாடுகளில் சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்களுக்குத் தத்தமது அலுவலகங்களின் மூலம் கிடைக்கும் தொழில்சார் ஆதரவு அளப்பரியது. இதன் காரணமாகப் பலர் சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்களாகப் பணியாற்றுவதற்கு முன்வருகின்றனர். இது பாராட்டத்தக்கதொரு முயற்சியாகும்.

மேலும் “ட்விட்டர்” ~ இரு வழிச் செய்தித் திரட்டு, “ப்ளிக்கர்” ~ புகைப்படங்கள், வீடியோ போன்றவற்றை இலகுவாக இணையத்தில் பதிவதற்கான புதிய அல்லது சமூக ஊடக உத்திகளையும் ஊடகவியலாளர்கள் பரந்த அளவில் பயன்படுத்தி வருகின்றனர். இதற்கு அண்மையில் டுனிசியா, பஹ்ரைன், எகிப்து, லிபியா போன்ற நாடுகளில் ஏற்பட்ட அசாதாரண நிலையின் போது ஊடகவியலாளர்கள் இவ்வாறான புதிய அல்லது சமூக ஊடக உத்திகளைப் பரந்த அளவில் பயன்படுத்தி செய்தி சேகரிப்பில் ஈடுபட்டதையும் உடனடிச் செய்தியை வழங்கியதையும் காணக் கூடியதாகவிருந்தது. சர்வதேச ஊடக மட்டத்தில் நாளாந்தம் பல ஊடகவியலாளர்கள் இவ்வாறான புதிய அல்லது சமூக ஊடக உத்திகளைப் பயன்படுத்துவதை வழக்கமாக்கி வருகின்றனர்.

அத்துடன் இலங்கையில் ஆங்கிலப் பத்திரிகைகளில் பலர் சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்களாகப் பணியாற்றுவதைக் காணலாம். ஆனால் தமிழ் ஊடகத்த் துறையைப் பொறுத்த வரையில் சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்களாகப் பணியாற்றுபவர்கள் ஒப்பீட்டளவில் குறைவு என்றே கூற வேண்டும். இதற்குத் தேவையான ஆதரவு ஆசிரியபீடத்திலிருந்து கிடைத்தாலும், சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்களுக்கான தொழில்சார் ஆதரவை வழங்குவதற்கு முகாமைத்துவம் மறுக்கின்றது; முன்வருவதில்லை. இந்த நிலையை மாற்றிச் சுயாதீன ஊடகவியலாளர்களை ஊக்குவிக்கும் ஆரோக்கியமான நிலை தமிழ் ஊடகத் துறையில் தோன்ற வேண்டியது அத்தியாவசியமானது! அத்துடன் முழுநேர ஊடகவியலாளர்களுக்கும் பகுதிநேர ஊடகவியலாளர்களுக்கும் இடையே ஆரோக்கியமான போட்டி நிலவுவதும் விரும்பத்தக்கது.

~~ இக் கட்டுரை தினக்குரல் பத்திரிகையின் 15 ஆவது ஆண்டு நிறைவைக் கொண்டாடும் வகையில் வெளிவந்த விசேட "சுவடு" சஞ்சிகையில் முதற் தடவையாகப் பிரசுரிக்கப்பட்டது ~~

Celebrating Women : Women's Photography Exhibition 2011

2011-04-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

“Men ~ their rights, and nothing more; WOMEN~ their rights, and nothing less” ~ Susan Brownell Anthony (15th February 1820 ~ 13th March 1906, American Women’s Rights Activist, Civil Rights leader and suffragist)

My Boops;
My Body;
My Business~ Photograph by DushiYanthini Kanagasabapathipillai is on display

Journalism is still a heavily male dominated field in Sri Lanka. Women are slowly but steadily getting into the field of journalism. On the other hand, we are mostly assigned to cover “soft” issues such as to handle the women’s page of a newspaper or cover culture or sub edit stories. We are hardly and rarely assigned to cover conflict or sports, because male journalists and editors think that these are “hard” issues women are unable to cover. Women are equally dedicated, determined, educated, focused and of course talented. We have proven our talents over the years, while standing side by side and shoulder to shoulder on the field with men to cover from disaster to design.

34 women photographers participated in the Women’s Photography Exhibition 2011. The exhibition was organised by the Women and Media Collective. The event was organised to celebrate the International Women’s Day. It was held at the Harold Peiris Gallery in Colombo. It was held from 25 - 27 March 2011.
The photography exhibition displayed the work of women, from professionals to amateurs, and featured a wide range of photography, from travel photography to portraiture to wildlife photography.

The photographers featured were :~
Aamina Nizar
Adilah Ismail
Anushka Fernando
Arosha Ranasinghe
Azra Abdul Cader
DushiYanthini Kanagasabapathipillai
Gazala Anver
Himadhu Kottege
Hiranya Malwatte
Indu Bandara
Iresha Umagiliya
Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala
Keren Sadanandan
Maduri Raja
Manikya Kodithuwakku
Marisa de Silva
Naomi Fernando
Natalie Soysa
Nathali Devinka
Nihara Fernando
Piyumika Pathirana
Poornima Perera
Rasika Deepani
Revati Chawla
Roshanthi Weerawardena
Rushika Silva
Sepali Kottegoda
Shifani Reffai
Shyala Smith
Surani Bandara
Tehani Ariyaratne
Thilina Kaushalya
Tia Goonaratna
Velayuden Jayachitra

Covering from protests to portraits by women are on display

Women and Media Collective Director Dr.Sepali Kottegoda welcoming the guests to view the photography exhibition

Women and Media Collective Director Kumudini Samuel lights the oil lamp

It's always been a challenge for the women to fight for their space, while being on the field to cover news

Viewers taking a closer look at the photographs on display

"It's an excellent effort which encourages women to carry camera, and click. More women are encouraged through this exhibition to experiment their hidden talent" says Deminithurage Amarabandu

The photos on display were a canvas of versatility

An array of photographs on display

Photography lovers thronged in large number on the inauguration day

பாரம்பரிய நாட்டுப்புறக் கலை வடிவங்களின் கொண்டாட்டம் :யாழ்ப்பாணம் இசை விழா

2011-04-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

யாழ்ப்பாணம் இசை விழாவிற்காக அமைக்கப்பட்ட அலங்காரம்

யாழ்ப்பாணப் பாரம்பரிய வரவேற்ப்பு

யாழ்ப்பாணத்திலிருந்து துஷியந்தினி கனகசபாபதிப்பிள்ளை

பல தசாப்தங்களின் பின்னர் யாழ்ப்பாணம் முழுவதுமே விழாக்கோலம் பூண்டது. யாழ்ப்பாண இசை விழா கடந்த மார்ச் மாதம் 25 ஆம், 26 ஆம், 27 ஆம் திகதிகளில் யாழ் மாநகர சபை மைதானத்தில் வெகு விமரிசையாக நடந்தது. இது சரித்திர பூர்வமான மண்ணில், இரண்டு ஆண்டுகளுக்கு ஒரு முறை நிகழும் வகையில் ஒழுங்குபடுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இவ் விழாவில் பல தரப்பட்ட பாரம்பரிய இசை, நடன நிகழ்வுகள் இலங்கையில் உள்ள பல பாகங்களிளிருந்தும் பல்லின மக்களினாலும் வழங்கப்பட்டன. உள்ளூர் கலைஞர்களுடன் இந்தியா, தென் ஆபிரிக்கா, நேபாளம், பாலஸ்தீனம், நோர்வே ஆகிய சர்வதேச நாடுகளில் இருந்தும் வந்த கலைஞர்களின் இசை மற்றும் நடனம் கிராமிய வடிவங்களில் அழகாக வழங்கப்பட்டன. கிராமியச் சூழமைவோடு இடம்பெற்ற இவ் விழாவில், உள்நாட்டு சர்வதேசக் கலைஞர்கள் காலை முதல் நள்ளிரவு வரை இந் நிகழ்வுகளை நடத்தினர்.பல ஆண்டுகளின் பின்னர் கலை நிகழ்ச்சிகள் நள்ளிரவு வரை நடைபெற்றன.

கொக்குவிலைச் (கட்டுவன்) சேர்ந்த வசந்தன் கூத்து

இவ் விழாவானது பார்வையாளருக்குக் கிராமியப் பாரம்பரிய அறிவைத் தருவதோடு வேறுபட்ட கிராமியக் கலை வடிவங்களின் கலை நுட்பத்தை செயன்முறை விளக்கம் மூலம் அறியக் கூடிய வகையிலும் அமைக்க்கப்பட்டிருந்த்தது.இவ் இசை விழாவானது 2009 ஆம் ஆண்டு காலியில் நடைபெற்ற இசை விழாவின் தொடர் நிகழ்வாக இரண்டு ஆண்டுகளுக்கு ஒரு முறை யாழ் மண்ணில் மலரும் என்பது மகிழ்ச்சிக்குரிய விடயமாகும்.

"நான் 16 வயதிலிருந்தே கரகம் ஆடி வருகின்றேன் . 78 வயதிலும் கூட என்னால் கரகம் ஆட முடிகின்றது. யாழ்ப்பாண இசை விழாவில் கலந்து கொண்டமை மிக்க மகிழ்ச்சியளிக்கின்றது. பாரம்பரிய நாட்டுப்புறக் கலையை அழிய விடாமல் பாதுகாப்பது அனைவரினதும் கடமையாகும்" என முள்ளியவளையைச் சேர்ந்த கரகாட்டக் கலைஞரான ராமுப்பிள்ளை முருகுப்பிள்ளை தெரிவித்தார்.

யாழ்ப்பாண இசை விழாவில் கரகம் ஆடும் முள்ளியவளையைச் சேர்ந்த கரகாட்டக் கலைஞரான ராமுப்பிள்ளை முருகுப்பிள்ளை

சுழிபுரத்தைச் சேர்ந்த பப்ரவாஹம் குழுவினர் ஏறத்தாழ 20 ஆண்டுகளுக்குப் பின்னர் பப்ரவாஹம் கூத்தை மீண்டும் மேடையேற்றினர் என்பது இங்கு குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது. இதே போன்று முல்லைத்தீவு மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள முள்ளியவளை பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த கோவலன் கூத்து மற்றும் மகுடி ஆட்டம் என்பன பல தசாப்தங்களின் பின்னர் யாழ் மண்ணில் மேடையேறியமை குறிப்பிடத்தக்க விடயமாகும்.

"யாழ்ப்பாணம் வந்து சக தமிழ் கலைஞகர்ளுடனும் பழகியமையும், இங்கு கலை நிகழ்ச்சிகளை நடத்தியமையும் மகிழ்ச்சியளிக்கின்றது .இது எனது முதலாவது அனுபவம். யாழ்ப்பாணத்தை விட்டுச் செல்லும் போது கவலையுண்டாகின்றது.இதே போன்று தமிழ் கலைஞர்கள் சிங்களப் பகுதிகளுக்குச் சென்று தமிழ் பாரம்பரிய நாட்டுப்புறக் கலைகளை ஏனைய கலைஞர்களுடன் பகிர்ந்து கொள்வதற்குச் சந்தர்ப்பம் அளிக்கப்பட வேண்டும்" எனத் தெல்தெனியவைச் சேர்ந்த சிங்கள நாட்டுப்புறக் கலைஞரான நிஷாந்த ரம்பிட்டிய கூறினார்.

கிடுகுகளினால் கொட்டில்கள் அமைக்கப்பட்டுப் பாரம்பரிய நாட்டுப்புறக் கலைஞர்கள் அக் கொட்டில்களிலேயே மூன்று நாட்களும் தங்கியிருந்தனர். ஒவ்வொரு குழுவினரும் தத்தமது பாரம்பரியக் கலைகளுக்கு ஏற்ற முறையில் தமது கொட்டில்களை மிகவும் அழகான முறையில் அலங்கரித்திருந்தனர். யாழ்ப்பாண முறைப்படி, யாழ் இசை விழாவில் கலந்து கொண்ட அனைவருக்கும் சம்பிரதாயபூர்வமாக வாழை இலையில் சைவ உணவு பரிமாறப்பட்டது பாராட்டிற்குரியது.

கொழும்பிலிருந்து பல நாட்டுப்புறக் கலை ரசிகர்கள் உட்பட நூற்றுக்கணக்கான பாரம்பரிய நாட்டுப்புறக் கலையை ரசிப்பவர்கள் இரவு பகலாகப் பல தசாப்தங்களின் பின்னர் நிகழ்ச்சிகளைக் கண்டு ரசித்தனர்.இந்த இசை நிகழ்வில் வெளிநாட்டு இசைக் குழுக்கள் உட்பட 28 இசைக் குழுக்கள் பங்குகொண்டன.சுமார் 15,000 பேர் நிகழ்வுகளைக் கண்டுகளித்ததாக விழா அமைப்பாளர்கள் தெரிவித்தனர்.

தம்மை மறந்து இசையை ஆழ்ந்து ரசிக்கும் சிறுவர்கள்

பாலஸ்தீனக் கலைஞரிடம் கற்கும் சிங்களக் கலைஞர்

யாழ் மண்ணில் இசைப்ப்ரவாகம்

அக்கரைப்பற்றைச் சேர்ந்த களி கம்பாட்டம்

சிறுவர்களின் வில்லுப்பாட்டு

இந்தியாவைச் சேர்ந்த மங்கநியார் குழுவினர்

முள்ளியவளையைச் சேர்ந்த கோவலன் கூத்து

சிராம்பியடியைச் சேர்ந்த கபீர் மஞ்சா

சபரகமுவாவைச் சேர்ந்த பாலி நடனம்

நாகர் கோவிலைச் சேர்ந்த கப்பற் பாட்டு

யாழ்ப்பாணம் இசை விழா நடைபெற்ற பகுதியின் தோற்றம்

மட்டக்களப்பைச் சேர்ந்த ராவணேசன்

வவுனியாவைச் சேர்ந்த உழவர் நடனம்

நள்ளிரவு வேளையில் நிகழ்ச்சிகளைக் கண்டு கழிக்கும் ரசிகர்கள்

நோர்வூட்டைச் சேர்ந்த காமன் கூத்து

அம்பலாங்கொடையைச் சேர்ந்த பொம்மலாட்டம்

~~ இக் கட்டுரை ஞாயிறு தினக்குரல் பத்திரிகையில் (03.04.0211)முதற் தடவையாகப் பிரசுரிக்கப்பட்டது ~~

Cast a VOTE for a WOMAN

2011-02-24T16:20:00.000-08:00

“We will destroy the idiocy
Of denigrating womanhood!” ~ Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathiyaar,
(11 December 1882 ~11 September 1921), (Tamil Poet, Reformer and Freedom Fighter who supported the women and their rights)

"Vote for a Woman" is a national campaign to get more women in politics

Sri Lanka’ current population is 21.3 million. The total population consists of 52% of women. Women’s representation in elected political bodies in Sri Lanka is abysmally low. It is 5.8% in parliament, 4.1% in provincial Councils, and only 1.8% in Local Government. It is the lowest in South Asia. Sri Lanka is the only country in the region without a quota for women in Local Councils according to Women and Media Collective.

Nominations for women by the major political parties have remained almost stagnant in the last 50 years. Many women leaders at the community level are marginalized and overlooked, when it comes to nominations for elections.

Women’s organizations have used many strategies to increase representation in the last 10 to 15 years including through supporting independent women’s lists and advocacy for a legal quota for women.

“Major political parties must be made accountable to give more nominations to women, while at the same time public awareness has to be raised about the problem of under representation of women at local level. United National Party (UNP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) were the most responsive while the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress said that it was against the religion to have women in politics. But, we have got more than 6,000 signatures in a petition from the public from the Trincomalee District, supporting women entering into politics, and we even got a letter from the Islamic cleric attesting that women can enter politics to prove a point to the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. It is noted that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has put forward a significant number of women. It is a healthy move. During the last local elections 3% ~ 4% of women were nominated, and this year the percentage has increased to 12%, which is quite impressive, but there is a lot more work to be done.

Sri Lanka has very commendable human development indicators for women, which include high literacy rates and exceptional educational achievements. However, despite almost 70 years of female franchise and the election of the world’s first woman Prime Minister, the country lags far behind most of the developing world with regard to women’s representation in political institutions at local, provincial and national level. All of these women faced a lot of hardships in the nomination race and a large number of them were rejected, Therefore, we ask the women population of the country to cast at least one of their preferences for a woman” said Kumudini Samuel, Director of Women and Media Collective.

The political representation of women is strategically intended to: ~~

~ Improve good governance at the local level through the observance of selected Local Government bodies
~ Promote interaction between local government members and community groups to improve governance at local level
~ Increase representation of women in political institutions and decision making processes

Women candidates from Badulla, Galle, Kurunegala, Moneragala and Trincomalee districts were brought under one roof by the Women and Media Collective to share their experience while running the race for nominations to contest in the upcoming local government polls in Sri Lanka.

“I have contested and won with the Tamil National Alliance last time. I have stepped out of my office and been on the street to monitor a concrete road being built. I was the first person to how the community that a woman can be out on the field and do better job. I was refused to be nominated this time due to male chauvinism!” shared Bhavani Krishnamoorthy from Trincomalee district.

The Women and Media Collective in partnership with the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Empowerment as well as six other national and local level women’s groups Sarvodaya Women's Movement (Galle), Uva Wellassa Farmer Women's Organisation (Monaragala), Viluthu (Trincomalee), Women's Development Centre (Badulla), Women's Resource Centre ( Kurunegala) seeks to increase the percentage of nominations and votes for women in the upcoming Local Government elections

Women and Media Collective alongwith Women’s Development Centre ~ Badulla, Sarvodaya Women’s Movement ~ Galle, Women’s Resource Centre ~ Kurunegala, Uva Wellassa Farmer Women’s Organisation ~ Monaragala and Vizhuthu ~ Trincomalee prepared a list 0f 181 names of women from 5 districts and the list was given to the political parties. It is noted that 72 women successfully got their nominations from this list. Approximately 195 local level party leaders from mainstream political parties in all five districts and 48 national level party leaders were met by the WMC to ensure that an equal amount of women are also in the decision making process in the country.

In 2006 local government elections, two women from Galle district, four women from Trincomalee district, two from Kurunegala district, one woman from Monaragala district and five women from Badulla district won the seats.

It remains as a challenge to get more women into politics

Banners for women contesting in the upcoming local government elections

A few women's organisations have been working since 1990s to get more women in politics

Women interested in active politics share their experience and views

Women’s organizations have been demanding for 30% quota for women at least at the local level

The race for women to get into politics is made tougher