Sri Lanka

Sri Lankans must wonder if their patricians could ever be trusted to deliver on an opportunity to remake the country.

Sri Lanka: Violence against women in Sri Lanka

Following calls for reform of Personal Law this article focuses on certain aspects of the General Law dealing with the issue of violence against women.

Sri Lanka: Women and case of Thesawalamai

Although this article is not about Muslim laws, the issues it raises apply to women's engagement with the law and the impact of customary practices across diverse countries and communities.

Dossier 22: Communalisation of Muslims in Sri Lanka - An Historical Perspective

Introduction

The objective of this paper is to provide a historical overview of the processes of communal identity formation in Sri Lanka with special reference to the Muslim community [1]. Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic society in which Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and others have coexisted for centuries. However, in more recent times, ethnic relations on the Island have been consistently strained by the rise of communalist politics which have deepened ethnic and religious divides.

Dossier 21: Ethnic Identity, Religious Fundamentalism and Muslim Women In Sri Lanka

1. Introduction:

An attempt is made in this paper to trace the development of ethnic consciousness and religious fundamentalism among Sri Lankan Muslims and the bearings of this development on Sri Lankan Muslim women.*

At the outset, I should clarify the use of the terms ethnic consciousness and fundamentalism. Both these terms are very popular and controversial in the current socio-political discourse. There are a number of definitions and disagreements about them.

Dossier 3: Memorandum submitted to the committee on proposed reforms to Muslim personal law

The Muslim's Women's Research and Action Front considers the appointment of a committee to examine Muslim Personal Law in the light of reform as a positive step in the socio-legal and cultural upliftment of the community.

MWRAF as a group of committed and concerned Muslim women wishes to suggest a basis for reforms, though we would like to reiterate the fact that our framework is within the Qur'an and Sharia and the proposed changes would in effect be implementation of not only the letter of the law but also the spirit of the law- in other words the essence of the Qur'an

Sri Lanka: US exploring military presence in Sri Lanka

The US and Sri Lanka have recently increased contacts between their military representatives. With chances improving for a more lasting peace between the Tamil Tiger rebels and government, the US is laying the groundwork to deploy military personnel.

Sri Lanka: Ceasefire agreement

The overall objective of the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is to find a negotiated solution to the ongoing ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka: Landmark judgement in rape case

Amnesty International welcomes the decision of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka which on 25 January 2002 granted 150,000 Sri Lankan rupees (approximately US$ 1,600) compensation to Velu Arshadevi, a Tamil woman who was raped in Colombo in June 2001.

Sri Lanka: Situation analysis

Sri Lankans went to the polls on the 5th of December to elect its 12th Parliament barely a year after parliamentary elections were held in October 2000.