The small prison in the parking lot

In view of the Fort clock tower

The random hole is literally in the Ceylinco parking lot, Fort. If you drive past the World Trade Center take the last right before the barricades. If you’re coming from the Intercontinental side, well, it’s a large Ceylinco skyscraper, you should be able to find it unless Lalith Kotelawa makes it disappear like his depositors funds.

Child in front of ruined Kovil, Kilinochchi

At some level a child will ask why they should listen, what happens when they die and why they’re isn’t obvious or immediate justice in the world. It is possible to explain these things rationally, but for thousand of years humans didn’t actually know and the kids were still asking questions. As a parent I think what would be important is not the absolute validity of these facts (you need pour water on your head at this age, you need to read from a book now, you need to get married in this way) but rather having an answer and immediate structure and discipline so you can get some sleep.

Religion for thousands of years provided this structure before science even existed. And, indeed, there are still many things that science and rationality don’t answer satisfactorily.

Yet, for all these answers, one has to wonder who’s asking the question. In many cases it is children, and their persistent nagging may play a part in the constant regeneration of God.

The lighthouse

View of port and the hovering stupa

The most notable sight is the famous hovering stupa. I have viewed this in gasps but it may as well have been in Area 51 for as close as I could get to it. Cerno has a similar photo, yet he was questioned by the military for taking it, as that was at the height of the war. Now the military is there, but it’s just one Navy chap who’s quite nice. According to Cerno this place also apparently has a name. Jayanthi Chaitya. The road itself is called Chaitya Road.

View of the city over silenced guns

This area is the heart of Colombo, which is precisely where the LTTE tried to strike. To protect itself Colombo simply shut down and fled to the suburbs, away from the port. But it’s starting to open up again. They’re expanding the port again, using the unidentified fallen objects below.

Port thingees

You can view more photos of the Colombo Lighthouse here. It’s down Chaitya Road, a long walk or short drive from Galle Face Green.

Director stabbing Desdemona while Othello watches

Othello obscura

Director’s leg and lead actors

Desdemona under the stage lights

Principal cast, director sans head

for further info they have a very 2.0 website designed by my friend Mili, I think.

Finger off the trigger, Jaffna

Militarization

Normally having troops everywhere is disconcerting and militarization is viewed as a bad word. There is also a civil libertarian issue of the central government (and President) constantly having guns on the street. He has used them to surround the hotel of the last guy who ran against him (General Sarath Fonseka). On a basic level, these are people carrying guns which is a bit disturbing to constantly be around.

Coming from the carnage of the LTTE years, however, this presence is viewed as something of a relief. The LTTE actively did blow up buses and street corners and this current batch of troops is perceived as having stopped that. They are not viewed as necessarily oppressive because unlike successive governments which militarized and didn’t deliver peace, this government did. So the militarization may make people feel safer.

Bias

I, of course, am Sinhalese and can breeze through most checkpoints. I travel with a lot of Tamil/Burgher types and don’t encounter any harassment. I don’t know what it’s like in the North or East where there’s a big language gap and few of the forces speak Tamil. If anyone has any comments on their experiences I’d like to hear.

Generally, however, the militarization of Sri Lanka is not viewed as a bad thing. More stuff is being handed to the police, but I honestly wish that they would militarize that. My experiences with the police are often quite bad and I dread encounters with them cause they’re often looking for bribes or power trips. I encounter no such behavior from the forces.

Sri Lanka is a militarized state and a generation is growing up thinking that this is normal. This may not be a such a bad thing. Is it?

* as a note, the Derana story refers to kids playing on Marble Beach which was, last I checked, a high security zone off limits to non-military people (and their families sometimes).

Postered tree during Wimal led UN protest

Ms. Inga-Britt Ahlenius’s cover letter says “Rather than supporting OIOS [the internal corruption watchdog]… you have strived to control it which is to undermine its position.”

Only the cover letter is available online (PDF) but the Washington Post has the whole document and writes:

Ahlenius says that, rather than being an advocate for accountability, Ban, along with his top advisers, has systematically sought to undercut the independence of her office, initially by trying to set up a competing investigations unit under his control and then by thwarting her efforts to hire her own staff…

The departure of Ahlenius, 72, coincides with a period of crisis in the United Nations’ internal investigations division. During the past two years, the world body has shed some of its top investigators. It has also failed to fill dozens of vacancies, including that of the chief of the investigations division in the Office of Internal Oversight Services. That post has been vacant since 2006, leaving a void in the United Nations’ ability to police itself, diplomats say. (WP)

The UN is an arrogant bureaucratic mess which still serves a higher purpose. It does, however, need strategic change to be both respected and useful in the world. I’d always thought that Ban Ki-moon was a vanilla bookend between more dynamic Secretary Generals, but Ms. Ahlenius seems to think he’s actively worse.

Personally, I think that his interference in Sri Lanka violates the UN Charter and causes more problems than it resolves. The diplomatic mess has happened because Ban Ki-moon has personally and rather dictatorially gone around the UN Security Council. This latest missive from inside the UN shows that he may be taking end runs around other institutions as well.

Colombo police station, paying a ticket

In the past I’ve been scared of cops and the ticket system and I have paid bribes. Once, at the Green Path checkpoint, a cop actually got in the car with me and drove to the bank because I had no cash on me. This was wrong and weird. I regret paying bribes and I just don’t do it anymore. The legal system actually kinda works. You give your license, they give you a ticket. You take the ticket to the cop shed, get a fine. You take the fine to the post office, get a receipt. Take the receipt back to the cop shed, get your license. If you get let all the paperwork gets shifted to court (which sucks) but it still works. The fines aren’t that high and I assume the money is going into the government directly, which I’m OK with. It’s better than a bribe.

That said, I think the Daily Mirror online is the most innovative and hard-working news website out there. We’ve been trying to do daily news on www.thesundayleader.lk and we rely on the Daily Mirror for leads, of which they get aplenty. They’re way ahead on breaking news so we’re more trying to put the news together. At this point I hope I’m criticizing them as a colleague and a reader, not a shit-flinging blogger monkey.

The Daily Mirror is good, but it’s not great, and it could be. They’ve got the breaking news down, now they just need to fix it.

This biblical photo-op made possible by UN meddling. Photo by Dinidu De Alwis

The UN Charter

In a recent Parliament speech Sajith Premadasa said “We in the UNP Mr. Speaker are consistently and vehemently opposed to the UN Secretary General’s patronising incursion in to our domestic affairs. The Secretary General of the UN must remember that he is an international civil servant chosen to serve the needs and interest of the United Nations, which is the world’s largest inter-governmental body. He must never allow the lobbying of those who control the purse… unaccountable lNGOs to influence him more than the voice of legitimate states.” The UN Charter itself says:

Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter Vll.

Chapter VII does have provisions which could apply to Sri Lanka but these are pointedly only at the discretion of the UN Security Council – a body Ban Ki-Moon is trying to go around by appointing a panel reporting only to him. He can say its advisory, but if the UN is going to say that closing a distant and already closing UNDP Regional Centre is connected to protests somewhere else, it’s quite easy to imagine the headlines on this UN Report. It will simply say that ‘The UN Alleges War Crimes’ with no mention of how this has circumvented the Charter and intent of the United Nations. Quite frankly, it’s unfair and the UN is offsides.

The Local Response

I have no particular affection for Wimal Weerawansa, but I have still been strangely cheered to see the UN compound occupied. The government support for that act basically violates their commitments to support UN functions, but it gives a weird pride to see tiny Sri Lanka stand up to the UN. The underlying cause is a mess and I do support investigation of the Sri Lankan war, but only internally. In effect, I think it will only come under a future UNP or other government, just as the UK only apologized for Bloody Sunday decades later. I do, however, agree with Weerawansa’s protest against the UN Panel. Why?

Prime Directive

In Star Trek a UN-like intergalactic body explores and kinda deals with alien worlds. They follow a UN type charter which reads:

Nothing within these articles of Federation shall authorize the United Federation of Planets to intervene in matters which are essentially the domestic jurisdiction of any planetary social system, or shall require the members to submit such matters to settlement under these Articles of Federation; But this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII…

As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel may interfere with the normal and healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes introducing superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation

In effect, don’t mess with stuff you don’t understand, even if you think you’re helping. What’s left unsaid in the directive but repeatedly played out in the show is that even the most good-hearted interference can mess things up worse. This basically breaks down to something like the medical Hippocratic oath of ‘do no harm’ or Colin Powell’s ‘Pottery Barn’ on invasion, being, ‘you broke it you bought it.’ I have seen many times on Star Trek how meddling leads to unpredictable chaos and situations far worse than before. The UN would be wise to A) read its own charter and B) watch more Star Trek.

Unintended Consequences

By allowing itself to be lobbied by unaccountable INGOs like the International Crisis Group and lobby groups set up by rump LTTE supporters, the UN has strengthened Mahinda’s hand in a way they could not imagine. By issuing deceptive and cynical press releases and contradicting themselves they have weakened their own standing in Sri Lanka and, I think, the world. More to the point, however, they have given Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government a common enemy which they have cunningly exploited to shore up support for Constitutional changes which will affect Sri Lanka for generations. The state media Sunday Observer says.

External forces with questionable agendas are threatening the sovereignty of the nation and it is time for all to unite, shedding political rivalries. It is in this spirit that President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe met at Temple Trees yesterday to discuss a range of issues and challenges confronting the nation. During a frank and cordial exchange of views, they focused attention on the proposed Constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and expediting its march towards becoming an Asian miracle. (SO)

This is, in effect, the result of the UN violating its own charter and Star Trek’s Prime Directive by going around the Security Council. They have shown that they are cynical to think that no one can tell the difference between a UNDP Regional Centre on Independence Ave and the occupied compound in Thunmulla. Indeed, they got international headlines saying that the UN closed its offices, and many people never got the correction. If the panel issues a report, even an advisory one, Ban Ki-moon must be full aware that this will get publicized and known as a ‘UN report’, even though it goes around its ingrained way off intervening with sovereign states.

By this cynical ploy, however, Ki-Moon has produced unintended consequences, namely the strengthening and near-deification of Mahinda Rajapaksa, the resurgent popularity of nationalist Wimal Weerawansa and the possibility of a Constitution which entrenches this centralization of power. At best he’ll get a western quasi-embargo where nations and companies stay out because of the fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) being spread. This will hurt Sri Lankan people and please only the vengeful elements of the diaspora that want to divide the country and lock up half the elected government. This FUD would also drive Sri Lanka further into the arms of China, Russia, and Iran and further away from constructive engagement with the west.

So basically, it produces the opposite of the intended affect of the UN, furthers the harmful intent of the rump LTTE and strengthens Mahinda’s hold on power while enabling the nationalistic push for him to pass power-entrenching Constitutional reforms. So, in short, UN fail. They go against their own charter, they go against Star Trek and they go against the general will and pride of the Sri Lankan people, myself included. This type of diplo drama is precisely why the UN wrote the charter that way, but I learned as much from watching a bunch of Star Trek. Don’t mess with stuff you don’t understand. It can have unintended consequences and other people have to pay the price. I live in Sri Lanka and the UN’s meddling is messing stuff up worse than before. Ban Ki-moon, please stop.

So many cops,so much style

So few cops, so little hair

The UN compound is in a secured area. The Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa lives down the street. That road had actually be completely closed for years, I only found out that it was open for thru traffic from the protests. This, incidentally, is awesome.

Ward Place is a public road. ODEL is on one side and it’s surrounded by homes and hospitals. Yet for that student protest they shut the whole thing down and stopped the protest entirely. I should note that students have staged sit-ins in front of the University Grants Commission before, but under the wary eye of the cops.

The cops in front of the UN were a bit less than wary. On Ward Place they were an occupying army. On Bullers Road they were a ceremonial force. Just a few, basically lounging while protesters spray painted cameras, tried to break and enter and hung posters from the barricades. The National Freedom Front has decorated the Thumulla junction with its flags. They brought a lorry into the area to unload various material. It was fully organized and fully OK with the cops.

Is this good or bad? Dunno. But I do think this protest against the UN is government sanctioned and supported.

PS: why have I been updating so little, because I’ve been updating three or four times a day on the Sunday Leader website, where this post too will be syndicated.

Wimal Weerawansa protesting in front of Parliament

Ranil’s protest in front of Parliament

That said, Ranil got more votes than Wimal in the last election. But that by being the head of the oldest party in the country, Wimal running on basically no party at all. I’m not saying that I like Wimal better, but he just seems to be working harder than Ranil.

I personally think the UNP position on the Constitutional reforms is weak sauce. They’ve focused on being anti-Mahinda rather than pro-something. It just comes off as sour grapes. If there’s no term limits for the opposition leader who are they to call for term limits on the President? How can they talk about democratic succession when their own house is so messed up? It looks all wrong.

Disabled man in wheelchair, Havelock Road

The narrative the police are telling is that the killings are unrelated. However, since these killings are occurring in a fixed space of time at the rate of almost one per week, something is obviously systemically wrong. With their response now it seems that something is truly wrong with the system. Like when the government sided with violent protestors to ban Akon, the government again is siding with violence, in this case murder. The focus is not on the perpetrators of the crimes but just on getting rid of the problem. And that appears to be the street-dwellers of Colombo.

Begging is actually a business in the city. It is controlled by a hierarchy and spots and even kids and cripples are rented out. Beggars do make money, actually thousands of Rupees per day. None of this, however, makes their murders justified. In fact, many of the murdered are not beggars at all, the recent Mount Lavinia case sold lottery tickets, for example. Begging and street-dwelling may be a problem, but the message the police are sending here is that they are the whole problem. Me, personally, as someone who lives in these areas, I think the problem is the people crushing human skulls with stones and cinder blocks. That worries me more than the sight of beggars.

Yet those are the people getting rounded up. I think this policy is terribly backwards, like much of our policy towards the poor. That the police are rounding up the potential victims of crime while criminals go free is absurd.

Poster on back of a bus, Galle

Me, against foreign influence I’m with Mahinda. I didn’t support his election, but I do support my President. I do think foreign bodies are meddling unduly, I do think a hostile and vengeful diaspora is driving this, and I do support stability under this elected government. That said, I think this narrative is nonsense and it cobbles together a mass of injustice and delusion under one curious throne. In this narrative Sarath Fonseka is a traitor for opposing Mahinda and Karuna is a traitor for supporting him. This conflates Mahinda and the state and punishes a war hero while elevating an actual war criminal.

I understand these things strategically, the first duty of the state is to exist and if l’etat is Mahinda, then perhaps that’s how it is. For now. My main concern is not really politics but reality, and this narrative is warping reality to a point I can’t really accept. I think the UN and diaspora are meddling, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a point. We should atone for or at least acknowledge the civilians that died. I think Fonseka was dumb, but he’s not a traitor. Threatening him with hanging is not cool.

This stuff all makes sense if you dump the old narrative (LTTE vs Sri Lanka) and replace it with the new one (Mahinda vs Traitors and International Lackeys). Outside of this frame, however, stuff actually doesn’t make sense. I think Mahinda is actually doing a pretty good job but I don’t think Fonny is a traitor. I don’t think the UN should be meddling, but I do think they have a point which we should investigate locally. These ‘buts’ are about as welcome as a bare ass in Parliament so I don’t suppose they get anywhere, but that, I think, is closer to reality.

This thought is continued in this Sunday’s Leader

Crowds watching World Cup Football, Galle Face Green

The spires

Impressive cop

And this moustache.

Soldiers at Elephant Pass memorial

The rules have shifted risks from Afghan civilians to Western combatants. They have earned praise in many circles, hailed as a much needed corrective to looser practices that since 2001 killed or maimed many Afghan civilians and undermined support for the American-led war.

But the new rules have also come with costs, including a perception now frequently heard among troops that the effort to limit risks to civilians has swung too far, and endangers the lives of Afghan and Western soldiers caught in firefights with insurgents who need not observe any rules at all.

And America is not really winning the war in Afghanistan. However, it should be noted that the Soviets killed almost a million Afghans and didn’t work either. There are obviously different tactics for different wars, and I would argue that war itself is generally abhorrent and tends to continue and justify itself. But it seems that UN approved wars may not really end.

I do think that justice tends to play out in the end and ruthless powers tend to collapse under their own bloody weight, but ruthlessness does seem the surest route to winning wars. The American wars are largely wars of choice and one questions why they’re having them at all, but this isn’t the US that would incinerate entire cities as in World War II. That’s a good thing, but it may mean that they’ll never win so decisively again.

Vivek Oberoi and Namal Rajapaksa, at mass wedding

Locations

I enjoy watching Hindi and Tamil dance numbers because the locations change so much. They are dancing in the hills, then the beach, then by a lake, etc. Despite each star churning out dozens of films per year, they still have time for these multi-location shoots. Sri Lanka – having a variety of scenes within hours of each other – would be ideal for some of these dreamlike sequences. One could, for example, shoot at an alpine-like lake in the hill country, then by the Kandy Lake, then back to Colombo. Or, shoot in the Ella hills and then down to Arugam Bay. These combinations would all be possible within a day. Probably faster if Namal was riding in your convoy. To get the same diversity in India would take days at least.

Vocations

What Sri Lanka lacks, however, is the skillset of Indian cinema. Modern Indian films are the technical equal of the west in terms of special effects, cinematography, etc. Indian advertising looks and sounds good. Indian movies are now quite awe-inspiring and they’ve developed the show-tune far beyond western abilities. Sri Lankan cinema, notable exceptions aside, still lacks the professionalism and polish of India. Namely because it’s not so highly capitalized.

If more Indians started filming down here we could learn from and eventually begin to compete with the best. Sadly, the most obvious talent source would be from Tamil Nadu, but their trade associations seem intent on boycotting. With interaction from India, however, Sri Lankan skills could improve, along with our standards. As a theoretical benefit, we might also become a bit less defensive, but Tamil Nadu seems intent on aggravating that trend.

Tourism

Being featured in Bollywood films should also boost tourism to Sri Lanka. Many Indians are unaware of how beautiful Sri Lanka is, but they are certainly aware of Bollywood. Getting featured in the latter should bring more people down.

Is all of this worth nearly a billion rupees? Are the Indians going to take more money and jobs out than they put in? I don’t think it’s worth so much money yet, nor do I think it’s benefits to Sri Lanka have yet to be seen. Regardless, this engagement with India is just a start. Cinema is one obvious connection, but hopefully all the headlines about Khans arriving there are a hundred Singhs at House Of Fashions. For every Bollywood film one hopes there are also Vivek Oberois who take time off to visit the disadvantaged. IIFA was a bit expensive up front, but it may be bringing some long-term returns.

Buddha bus

Identity Politics

On one level, identity politics is a cheap way of scoring points. People can look like they’re defending Buddhism and the country without actually doing anything. Tamil Nadu politicians employ the same empty rhetoric for the Sri Lankan Eelam question and Arab politicians for the issue of Palestine. Neither actually does much about, or at least nothing commensurate with the amount of noise.

Sri Lanka is still a small player on the international stage and this may be one way to try and make ourselves heard. While this is only news of the weird in the west, however, it can make front pages here. That, I think, is the point. The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka has no legal sway over France, nor particular influence, so when he says he’ll take action, it’s an empty threat. He does, however, get headlines in Sri Lanka as a defender of the faith.

Aside from wasting man hours in every European mission, there is not particular cost to this endeavor. There is also no particular benefit, at least in terms of the goals they say about. Namely, defending Buddhism. What they don’t say, however, is that this is really about defending a particular identity.

Tilting At Windmills

In that sense, these seemingly Quixotic jousts make sense. In that story the man is tilting at windmills, but even that can have a symbolic value. Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by Hindus, Muslims and repeatedly colonized by Christians. It is also beset by Western culture, much of which it accepts blindly (tea, cricket, chili – brought from South America, and even modern Buddhism – assembled much by Colonel Alcott). There are certain things which we don’t accept, however, and that difference gives us some identity, much as the waves beating on our shores mark us as an island.

So this latest issue, while it is really just making waves, is part of the broader identity politics that is the teething of this still young island. The people of the Buddha Bar must by like WTF and the staff at the missions must be like OMG but average people can be like, ah, I’m Buddhist and these politicians are letting the world know. Or at least the politicians can tell them that in the press and campaign rallies. Whether they believe I do not know.

Positive PR

Personally, I think there are better ways to communicate and share our Buddhism with the world. And, indeed, defend it. Right now the main impression the world has of us is related to the war. The dissonance between that violence and the impression of Buddhism as a peaceful faith is probably one to address.

There is something of a military-Buddhist complex, however, and many monks have been among the most vociferous supporters of the war. The faith itself, however, is full of compassion and a great many Buddhist clergy and faithful have helped and mourned for the dead. If that was public through some kinda ceremony that might be good PR. I do remember that Sarvodaya did a mass meditation for peace a while back.

Furthermore, Buddhist meditation has documented neurological affects, basically chilling people out, something like the Buddha Bar CDs. There are conferences and papers on this subject, which Sri Lanka could contribute to more. For all the somewhat ritualistic common practice, Sri Lankan monasteries and retreats still support a great many dedicated meditators and priests and have the capacity for more.

There is a great interest in Buddhism in the west, but that is precisely because it’s perceived as being above the petty squabbles and offenses of other religions. In our fumbling way of projecting identity, however, we’re projecting the opposite. For a faith based on the non-existence of self, we might want to go easy on the identity politics.

Thriloka playing at Big Ears

Last time I was quite frankly wowed by the quality. Thriloka did a tranfixing jam on some Jon Scofield stuff and this poet Krishantha did some fascinating reading of stuff about how stuff really is here, and its connection the cosmos, set to music and with real rhythm. It’s more interesting cause the crowd is a bunch of people I don’t know, including uni kids from all over. I think tonight’s show should be great as well.

Namal Rajapaksa and Vivek Oberoi with Army officers, at mass wedding

On Sunday I was watching 53 LTTE cadres get married in a ceremony organized and attended by tons of military. But also politicians, and even a Bollywood star were in attendance. And the whole thing was funded by Tamil business people. It was officiated by Tamil priests and Catholic priests and Buddhist priests were also in attendance. It remains that these former combatants are prisoners, but it’s a hell of a lot better than Guantanamo. I think 3k have got out and 8k remaining, in that center.

I’m not saying that having such a big military presence is bad but A) it’s nice that parents can send their kids to school and B) it’s so much chiller than last year. I heard that in 1986 LTTE cadres hijacked the bus to Anuradhapura, killed people at the bus stand, killed people at Sri Maha Bodhi temple, then killed people on the way out. Which was carnage and you wonder where the security was. So now it is there, and I understand why. That said, the LTTE threat is much diminished, though not surely gone. So the security presence has also reduced.

Every time I drive through some remote, formerly war torn area the military pulls me over. But not for a search. They’re just asking for a ride. Some fellow has got leave and he’s trying to get to the next bus stand, so we always give them a ride. I ask what they’re doing and they say mostly cleaning. It seems boring, but damn nice, you know?

The war is over and our militarized state is softening. They’re operating paddle boats for Pete’s sake. I know for a fact that western media is going to freak out about the military display in the upcoming V-Day parade, but it’s not that threatening to me. I see these guys everyday and they do everything from make pol roti to rescue people from floods. The war is over and things aren’t that scary anymore. The military is slowly transitioning to the mundane, ordinary and serene.

Vuvuzela by adelbeukes

Former LTTE members, now getting married in rehabilitation camp

Tamil business people sponsored almost all of this event, from the gold thalis to the saris to the ritual gifts. They are there, taking things out of cardboard boxes and handing them out. Each couple gets two cups, two plates. Two pairs to eat and drink out of, to start a new life together. They’re simple metal dishes, wrapped in recycled paper. It’s the most beautiful part of the wedding.

53 former LTTE cadres were married in a mass ceremony attended by MP Namal Rajapaksa and Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi. The couples remain detained by the government in rehabilitation camps but will be given legal documentation and family-style housing. When asked whether they could raise families in this environment, the couple said “release is the best happiness you can give us.” (read more in The Sunday Leader)

View more photos on Flickr

Girl on the bus, India

A woman can’t walk the streets of Colombo. This is shocking, no, but we’re used to it. We consider it normal. But it wasn’t always this way, and it shouldn’t be. We have enough Army and cops to actually thrash every bugger that causes trouble, but that doesn’t happen. Instead people on a bus look at a girl funny if she makes a fuss. Like she was inviting something. But she’s not.

Sexual abuse is never the fault of the abused. There is no way you can dress or walk that invites or justifies abuse. I’m more attracted to a woman in a sari than one dancing atop a speaker in a miniskirt, but that’s not a license to yell or expose myself. But guys get away with that shit all the time, and we look at the girl funny.

And then the cops run around taking down posters of scantily clad women. Like that’s the problem. What about the pervy men? I know and love girls that have been abused and it makes me sick. It makes me sick that my friends can’t walk down the street without getting catcalls and verbal abuse. And it makes me nauseous that people grow up with this and consider it a normal environment.

This cancer spreads from our streets and men think they can get away with anything. Women fear reporting anything. And then it all becomes true. This has to stop. There is a culture of rape that begins with the casual harassment we accept on our streets. It is hurting Sri Lankan women and it’s hurting Sri Lankan families. Beyond stopping public displays of affection, the police need to crack down on public displays of abuse.

Back of a auto rickshaw, Chennai

Furthermore, it’s a fairly common joke to call Tamil Nadu ‘Toilet Nadu’. This is idiotic. I personally don’t trust the intelligence of anyone who writes off millions of people and a huge area of our earth. I can either accept that 66 million people are dumbasses, or one. Probability wise, it’s much more likely to be the one.

Umbrella couple on the pier, Wattala

Young people in Sri Lanka do have sex. Marriage is still important, but beneath that veneer there’s also a lot of abuse, child abuse, etc. Premarital making out is probably the least of our worries, but perhaps the most obvious. The reason people are making out in public is that there’s nowhere to go. Property is the perpetual dodge here, and finding a door that closes, away from mouths that never shut.

Not that people shouldn’t get married or have sexual relations within healthy relationships. But there is a give between desire and reason, one which western society has (sorta) worked out with people going off to university and generally moving out after 18. Most Sri Lankans move out late, often never and this propels people into marriage. Many many people get married just to get out of an intolerable home situation, entering an often more intolerable situation. But there’s no real middle ground.

Unless you have money. Money can get a hotel room, or a ‘jump joint’ as it were. Money can rent houses or enable you to move out. But the vast majority of people don’t have the escape of university, nor any job security after, so they get busted on the beach.