Featured stories about Sri Lanka
Stories about Sri Lanka
14 April 2020
Ghost cities in a COVID-19 world
Videos of empty cities from around the world curated by Global Voices' contributors.
24 January 2020
Conservationists decry Sri Lankan decision to arm local groups against elephants
"Will Sri Lanka, where magnificent elephants have now been demoted from National Treasure to vermin, be the paradise isle that modern tourists dream of?"
15 November 2019
Your guide to the 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election
On 16 November 2019, Sri Lankans are going to the polls to elect a new president. Learn more about the major players and check out our list of useful resources.
13 November 2019
The future of asylum seekers is uncertain in Sri Lanka
"The authorities must take urgent steps to guarantee the safety, dignity and human rights of all refugees and asylum seekers, ensuring that they are safe and have humane living conditions."
14 July 2019
Why are people debating the proposed car-free day in Colombo?
A car-free-day in Colombo sounds like a good idea from an environmental point of view, but there are other concerns -- and exposure to street harassment tops the list.
7 June 2019
Reactions to the presidential pardon of Sri Lankan rightwing religious leader
"Given Gnanasara’s past record of hateful speech, the Presidential pardon amounted to disrespect to all those who had suffered religious freedom violations in Sri Lanka."
17 May 2019
Anti-Muslim attacks stoke tensions and incite fear amongst mourning Sri Lankans
On 12 May Sunday, anti-muslim violence started over a Facebook post by a Muslim trader in coastal Chilaw town in Puttalam District, North Western Province of Sri Lanka.
3 May 2019
The Sri Lanka Niqab ban and the politics of distraction
Ever since the identification of the all-male group of bombers behind the massacre as members of militant group ISIS, Muslim women have borne the brunt.
1 May 2019
White flags: Sri Lankans in mourning
Sri Lankans are still coming to terms with the death of hundreds during the terrorist attacks on April 21, 2019. The colour white is used to symbolise mourning in Sri...
22 April 2019
Government actions in Sri Lanka Easter bombings raise the question: Is social media helping or hurting?
The swift decision to block certain social media platforms suggests that in the eyes of the Sri Lankan government, these services can make an already bad situation worse.
21 April 2019
A series of bomb attacks on churches and hotels spark terror in Sri Lanka
Hundreds were killed and injured in a series of planned explosions in Sri Lanka. A twelve-hour islandwide curfew was declared by the government while social media sites were restricted.
10 April 2019
Four real-life locations that could have featured in Game of Thrones
As viewers gear up for one last dose of dynastic squabbling, political intrigue and looming supernatural doom, four actual locations that wouldn't be out of place on Westeros and Essos.
12 March 2019
The challenges of mapping street harassment in Sri Lanka go beyond data collection
Even when women do make police reports, they must battle a victim-blaming culture and a system that is insensitive to the needs of survivors of sexual abuse.
20 February 2019
150 years of Ceylon Tea: A day in the life of a plantation worker
The wages Sri Lankan plantation workers earn are nowhere near enough to bear the costs of living for the family, so many are forced to look for work elsewhere.
25 January 2019
Sri Lankan tea estate workers take to the streets to demand fair wages
'Companies say they don't have profit, govt says it doesn't have money, ministers make so many promises[...] workers want only Rs. 1000 daily basic wage for the work they do'.
17 December 2018
Will the reinstatement of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe end Sri Lanka's political crisis?
" We will have to wait and see if the key players in the drama can rise above their personal and political agenda..."
5 December 2018
Sri Lankan Court temporarily bars disputed Prime Minister Rajapaksa from office
The battle over who will get to be the official Sri Lankan Prime Minister continues with the latest decision temporarily barring disputed PM Rajapaksa from office.
6 November 2018
Stories of Sri Lankans who are “Taking a Stand” for democracy
“Though I’m 92 years old, I feel I must make a stand for democracy.”
2 November 2018
“The people's voices” prevail: Sri Lanka's prime ministerial crisis to be put to a parliamentary vote
Sri Lanka's political crisis is halted as the president schedules a parliamentary vote to decide who should be the country's prime minister.
31 October 2018
One dead in Sri Lanka amidst a constitutional crisis
Power struggle between ousted Sri Lankan PM and newly appointed PM has led to the death of a protester in Colombo.
