Nonviolence in Sri Lanka
Overview of current news, with background and history
2022 Sri Lankan protests
Overview of the Sri Lankan protests, from March to July, 2022, and an overview of history and circumstances leading to the demand for the president’s resignation.
Sri Lanka: A victory for a non-violent people’s movement (Janaka Biyanwila; July 12, 2022)
‘I screamed and cried’: how Sri Lankan protesters unseated their president (Hannah Ellis-Petersen; July 16, 2022)
SRI LANKA: ‘By peacefully protesting, we hope to protect our democracy’ (Civicus)
Summary of some history of nonviolence & nonviolent intervention in Sri Lanka
A summary of the work of the Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) in Sri Lanka, which has aimed to increase the safety of civilians so they can contribute to a lasting peace that includes a sense of justice, and supporting peaceful conflict resolution to prevent violence.
How women led a peaceful flotilla to reclaim their island from the Sri Lankan Navy (Waging Nonviolence)
A success story of nonviolent civil disobedience, and the perseverance and strategy leading up to it.
The nonviolent defiance of the Sri Lankan navy by the Iranaitheevu Women’s Development Society, or WDS, after being expelled years before during Sri Lankan’s civil war, is described, along with their history and planning.
When the community disembarked on Iranaitheevu, they were confronted by three surprised navy officers. Unprepared to respond, the navy officers retreated. The community defied the navy, returned home and the navy never made any subsequent attempts to expel the Iranaitheevu people from the island.
Instead, three weeks later, the government granted the community official permission to remain, giving up its quarter-century campaign to keep them from their land.
Sri Lanka Lost a Decade, is now seeing Peaceful Non- Violent Expression (Youtube recording)
Dr. P. Saravanamuttu, one of Sri Lanka’s most highly regarded political analysts describes “a peaceful non-violent expression of people’s power.” He compares it to the people’s power revolution in the Philippines in 1986 when Ferdinand Marcos was driven from office and replaced by Corazon Aquino. After months of protesting nonviolently, the people have succeeded in removing the president.
