Author Archive
June 14, 2010 at 12:39 am · Categories: Colombo, Foreign Relations, Human Rights, International Relations, Peace and Conflict, Politics and Governance, Post-War | by Lalith Gunaratne
“Where you from” asked the precocious teenager from Jane, a World Bank official I was escorting to a remote hillside community in the middle of Sri Lanka to show a community based micro hydro system. She proudly said, “America”. She and I were both shocked at the response that followed; “Boo Bush Boo Bush!” accompanied by a thumbs down. Jane had just told me how embarrassed she was to call herself an American after Bush’s tragic unprovoked attack of Iraq soon after 9/11.
We were both amazed at this teenager’s knowledge in this remote corner, yet he knew and he had formed an opinion. Such is the result of a communications revolution that is making the world truly global village. No …
May 25, 2010 at 1:00 pm · Categories: Colombo, End of war special edition, Human Rights, Human Security, Identity, Jaffna, Peace and Conflict, Politics and Governance, Post-War, Reconciliation | by Lalith Gunaratne
The teenage girls singing a Tamil song “Tomorrow is Ours” is interrupted by my wife Samantha and I walking in to the classroom. They giggled coyly as we looked around at them. They were being trained to be Girl Guides and did not seem any different to any of the many young people I have encountered over the years.
One of the leaders, Deepa (fictitious name) walked up to us in curiosity and introduced by the Girl Guide trainer. She had a presence but seemed restless.
Deepa was abducted by the LTTE at age 16 from her Aunt’s home in the Wanni and was trained as a soldier. She had not seen combat as she was found by the Army in a …
April 17, 2010 at 12:53 pm · Categories: Colombo, Politics and Governance, Post-War | by Lalith Gunaratne
A few days ago a parent of a potential player of a big match for a Colombo school told me of calls they got asking them for one lakh of Rupees to get their son into the big match team. They had a discussion with their son and he agreed that he does not want to buy his way into the team, even though he knew he deserved to be there. I hope that this is the kind of response most parents would have given, as I believe that many of us are ethical beings.
Yet, when there is so much at stake – playing in a big match means a life-long recognition – this must be a difficult choice. Therefore, …
February 9, 2010 at 7:00 am · Categories: Colombo, Religion and faith | by Lalith Gunaratne
This article is inspired by a programme called Justice Everywhere – an exhibition and events with Martin Luther King III, son of US Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. presiding held in Colombo and other parts of Sri Lanka in January 2010.
A young TV journalist asked me whether Martin Luther Kings’ philosophy of non-violence will work in bringing true peace to Sri Lanka ?
I cannot remember how I answered it facing the camera, but I hope I would have said something like this.
Martin Luther King Jr. paid the ultimate price violently driving a non violent campaign to win freedom for African American people who gained their official freedom 100 years earlier. In my eyes, Martin Luther King Jr. …
January 22, 2010 at 1:00 pm · Categories: Colombo, Elections, Religion and faith | by Lalith Gunaratne
Authors note: I was inspired to write this as we have an election around the corner and saddened to see the way our human values and even human life is sacrificed to gain political power. I am not a supporter of any particular party or any person. I want to support a person with integrity and compassion and I am not sure I can see such a person in our political arena. My wish is to see Sri Lanka become a model of peace and compassion, the way King Dharma Asoka transformed his nation. History has taught us that religion and dogma have not brought us both – inner and outer peace. It has only divided us. Yet, we are …
November 20, 2009 at 7:00 am · Categories: Media and Communications, Post-War, Reconciliation | by Lalith Gunaratne
This article is a tribute to those devil’s advocates who were hurt or killed just because they asked questions
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it” said Voltaire after reading Rousseau’s Social Contract in 18th century France. We respect the courage and honesty of Voltaire and other leaders of the time for they laid the foundation for an enlightened century. Medieval dogmatism, prejudice and narrow mindedness was set aside at the political level to allow for more mature acceptance of questioning and criticism. This laid the foundation for recognizing the individual and the concept of the democratic ideal.
Contrast that with the 21st century political dictum first uttered by George W …
September 11, 2009 at 7:00 am · Categories: Colombo, Environment | by Lalith Gunaratne
It was almost a decade since I had been involved with climate change activities, so I was happy when I was invited to a capacity building session held in Kathmandu in July by the Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA). CANSA is part of a global network of NGOs addressing climate change issues in the region.
I was eager to learn about the current science of climate change and how well nations around the world are responding to it. To my dismay, I found that global carbon dioxide emissions have increased by 70% in the last 20 years. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that the evidence is even stronger that human factors have exacerbated the climate change process. In …
May 20, 2009 at 5:00 pm · Categories: Peace and Conflict, Pollonnaruwa | by Lalith Gunaratne
I am amazed at the mobilization of young people from the Tamil Diaspora around the world to protest against the Sri Lankan government’s purported human rights violations. When often the younger generation of immigrants forgets the old country to a future in the new one, it is incredibly positive that the Diaspora feels so passionate about this difficult conflict on behalf of their community. Maybe once the conflict is over, they will come back to Sri Lanka to rebuild the country together. However, there is long way to go for reconciliation between the two communities as so much hatred has manifested, especially amongst the Diaspora overseas.
We have all been affected by this ruthless conflict. …
April 8, 2009 at 7:00 am · Categories: Colombo, Peace and Conflict | by Lalith Gunaratne
At least three mornings, a week Samantha (my partner) and I go to a club in Colombo, a quiet private place for some exercise and a swim. I enjoy this morning routine and use the back garden to stretch, jog and use the bars. However, over the last two years this routine is disturbed by a battle that I have with a bunch of Crows who I presume are not happy about me entering their space.
It all began when one bird attacked me while I exercised. I then hit back with stones and shooed them away and thought it was sorted. Not so. The next morning was a shocker. As I entered the garden I felt a bad vibe in the …
January 23, 2009 at 7:00 am · Categories: Colombo | by Lalith Gunaratne
This article is dedicated to our late mother “Chandra Perera-Gunaratne” who balanced between motherhood and her profession as a Montessori teacher and entrepreneur – for her dedication to us, her courage and her generosity
Sri Lanka boasts about the foreign exchange income earned through the labour of our women overseas. Yet, we do not place much importance to the social cost of this. Sri Lanka will face a major epidemic of social misfits into the future as so many children are growing up in a motherless home. Intuitively, we all know the crucial role a mother plays in a home. Now, science is proving this further.
Our limbic brain requires social interaction to grow healthy. It has been proven over and over …
January 1, 2009 at 7:00 am · Categories: Advocacy, Colombo | by Lalith Gunaratne
Close your eyes and imagine a horn free Colombo – no loud ‘fog horns’ from all those buses – bliss !!. As I sit here in a café in the centre of Windhoek, Namibia, I have not heard a horn all morning. This is developing country but the road behavior is definitely ‘developed’. In the last six months, I have been working in several African countries and one thing that stood out for me is the good road discipline and how little they use the horn. There is always the exception as in Kenya and Malawi’s private bus drivers – the ‘mutatoos’ - a law onto themselves. Yet, it is nothing compared to the nuisance of the ‘fog horns’ and …
October 25, 2008 at 7:58 am · Categories: Colombo, Economy | by Lalith Gunaratne
What comes to mind when one hears the word poverty? Scarcity, shortage, paucity, deficiency, dearth are words that are in the Thesaurus. Yet, the word confuses me in the way it is commonly used.
I live in Sri Lanka, a developing country with GDP of about US $1,000 per capita. In western terms, this is a poor nation. I became a resident of Sri Lanka in 1988 having lived in Canada for 15 years. Economically, Sri Lankans have less material wealth than an average person in the west. In happiness, I am not sure.
I am confused about the word because in the last 20 years I have had a fulfilling life of abundance of whatever is needed to be healthy, happy …
September 16, 2008 at 10:00 am · Categories: Colombo, Peace and Conflict | by Lalith Gunaratne
“I write this article as a tribute to my late father, K.S. Gunaratne, a teacher, mentor and a true pacifist”
A few weeks ago while in the Uda Walawe area I met an opposition party MP who had come to help in the provincial election campaign for the local candidates. As I listened to the interesting stories he was relating, I could not help but be amazed as to what we have come to accept as normal, even if the behavior was total unacceptable to civilized society. He told me of the impending violence, the gangs of thugs coming into the area to support the government party and at the same time how they were mobilizing their own thugs to …
May 11, 2008 at 5:06 pm · Categories: Colombo, Uncategorized | by Lalith Gunaratne
Stupid Old Men
I don’t want to end up being a stupid old man
Just look at what they have done to our world in vain
What’s the big deal in going to the moon
As he yet settles score by inflicting pain
War on terror, crusade or witch hunts
Stupid old men run scared to ruin
Peace on earth has little chance to shine
I wonder whether it’s the testosterone drain
that give men the jitters when age is on the gain
I need to wise up and control this mind game
Or else I will end up a stupid old man
Dig not my heals in the old men’s club
When science of Descartes takes the quantum leap
Calling it mumbo jumbo quackery they oppress
The new magic of now you see and …
May 9, 2008 at 10:07 pm · Categories: Colombo, Politics and Governance | by Lalith Gunaratne
It was a busy afternoon on the Galle Road in Moratuwa and I stopped my vehicle at a pedestrian crossing to allow a few women and children cross the road. The vehicle on the left lane also stopped and the people were now more than halfway across when a Matara bound Leyland bus squeezed through the left and overtook both vehicles along the curb, barely missing the people crossing the road. The bus then cut across to the right lane and nearly missed another bunch of people about to cross at another pedestrian crossing and sped away. The above scenario is a common site on our roads, but no one takes any action, so the unsociable behaviour from the bus …
April 17, 2008 at 12:50 pm · Categories: Colombo, Peace and Conflict, Politics and Governance | by Lalith Gunaratne
Our self esteem is central to our survival. Yet, we do not value its importance as we face life’s challenges. Self esteem, whether our own or others’, is strengthened or takes a beating, through the way people communicate with each other. This communication is based on our power in relation to others. So, the more hierarchical and controlling a system is, power is concentrated with a few people, chances are esteem of the people below is undermined.
What is good for people is also good for nations. So, nation’s success also depends very much on its population’s collective self esteem, which is also called social esteem.
If we define esteem as the confidence in our right to be happy, feeling of being …
