Features

Nightmare in the sea off Kalpitiya and old-time resthouses

Published

3 years ago

2023/04/2

Thilina Walpola

The aluminium boat at Kollankanatta, Wilpattu West Sanctuary Coast (late 1950)

Excerpted from the authorized biography of Thilo Hoffmann
by Douglas B. Ranasinghe

In the 1950s and 60s Thilo kept a flat-bottomed aluminium boat fitted with an outboard motor at the Baurs Red Mill property on the banks of the Kelani Ganga.During the north-east monsoon, trips were made to Mount Lavinia or Negombo on weekends. With a rough sea it was often difficult to negotiate the transition from the river to the sea, taking the breakers in the proper way and avoiding sandbanks both in and out of the estuary. During the south-west monsoon Negombo was reached through the Hamilton Canal and Negombo Lagoon.

On one occasion the boat was transported by lorry to Kalpitiya. From there very early in the morning Thilo, Mae and David Whittaker, who had built the vessel, left for Kollankanatta. There, in Wilpattu, by Portugal Bay, on a flat stretch of seashore overgrown with iluk, Thilo had a lease of one acre of land where he had wanted to build a bungalow. He later gave this up when, chiefly on his own proposal, the area was added to the Wilpattu National Park.

At this place they spent the morning exploring archaeological sites, and befriending a Sinhalese fisherman by the name of Alfred, pronounced ‘Alpred’. He tried to warn them of the up-coming wind, and urged them to return early to Kalpitiya.

The visitors did not understand him properly, and left only at mid-afternoon. By now the south-west wind had thrown up heavy waves. These pounded the boat mercilessly and nearly drowned the occupants in constant heavy spray. After an hour or more of trying they had to give up the intention of returning that day. Eventually, the night was spent, cold and uncomfortable, on a rocky shelf of the shore between Karuwalakuda and Vellamundel, about halfway back to Kalpitiya.

At dawn, on a mirror-smooth surface and in no time, they reached Kalpitiya. There the lorry and driver awaited their return. But the delay had caused a major alarm situation at Baurs and at Palugaswewa Estate, minutes short of a request for a police and aerial search operation.

In those days the islands and shores north of Kalpitiya, in Dutch and Portugal Bays, were uninhabited. (Thilo had proposed to extend the Wilpattu National Park westward to include this marine area and its two main islands.)

Only during the north-east monsoon would some coastal fishing camps be in use there, the catch being dried for easy transport to Kalpitiya at the end of the season. There were a few Catholic churches, at Pallugaturai for example. During the south-west monsoon the area is difficult, and was abandoned, the shallow water being rough and muddy. Today it is populated throughout, and both bays are astir with hundreds of noisy fishing boats.

Years later, in the 1970s, Kalpitiya was again the starting point of an adventure. Mr de Livera who owned Titus Stores, and whose father Thilo had known, maintained a fleet of small fishing trawlers there. He phoned to say that his captains had reported a mass movement of turtles in the sea west of the Kalpitiya Peninsula, and invited Thilo to join one of the ships. Thilo could not resist such an opportunity, and he drove up with his friend Guido Baumann.

They joined the boat which left around 4 p.m. that Saturday. It was a pleasant trip up Dutch Bay and out to sea south of Karaitivu Island. Pods of dolphins were basking in the setting sun.But as the evening and then night progressed a strong north-east wind came up and waves began to rock the small vessel. Thilo and Guido are bad sailors. The expedition turned into a nightmare for both. This was made worse by offers of food or a drink of arrack from time to time by the captain. Wireless phone calls from their host in Colombo who inquired about their well-being did not improve it!

At about 10 p.m. the engine was stopped, the crew had released a very large drift net, and the boat rode at one end of it until morning, pitching and tossing in the heavy waves in a screw-like motion. It was, says Thilo, probably the worst night either of them had ever spent. Guido lay on deck vomiting in the bitter cold. Thilo lay on a bench in the stinking, cockroach-infested hold, braced with his feet and elbows against being tossed into the bilge, his innermost parts seeming to erupt at each upward jolt.

At daybreak the net was hauled in. There were less than a dozen fish. The waves had abated and the boat peacefully chugged back to Kalpitiya. Not one turtle had been sighted.

Farther north on the West coast, Thilo explored the area which includes Devil’s Point, and the uninhabited twin islands of Iranativu, on the coast south of Pooneryn. The only building on the islands is a Catholic church, as on some other remote coasts and islands used by seasonal fishermen.

He was able to visit the Great and Little Basses off the South-West coast on two occasions, with Basil Gunasekera, the Navy chief. Thilo spent one night in each of the historic lighthouses, which are equipped and maintained like ships.

To get to these was itself an adventure: first by rowing boat from the beach at Kirinda to a Navy ship anchored in the bay, then in that vessel close to the Basses, again by rowing boat to the lighthouse, and then finally hauled up by a swivelling wooden crane, hand-operated by the two-man resident crew, to its base.

The transit can be quite tricky when the sea is rough, as it was both times. In the past it was possible to approach the lighthouses only during the short calm season in March-April, and the crews were then marooned for the best part of the year.

Resthouses

The government `resthouses’, set up by the British, formed a network throughout the island during Thilo’s early years, and generally provided good service to the traveling public. He remarks:They were usually run by a local authority, often the GA of the province, and were mostly pleasant buildings with clean and ample rooms. They often stood in fine locations, on a hill or a riverbank or the seashore.

Meals were varied and prescribed in detail by the authority. Prices were very moderate, less than Rs 10/- per day with meals. Generally the resthouse keepers were friendly, genial men, quite a few of them famous for food and service.

“I used resthouses freely, seldom staying in one of the few hotels, except at Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. Advance booking was then not necessary; when, rarely, one place was full you just drove to the next.

This happy state of affairs changed first gradually, then with increasing pace since the 1960s.

“Resthouses disappeared or became shabby and noisy pubs, even dens of vice. Buildings were put to other uses. Later some were rescued and re-appeared as cheap (not price-wise) and tastelessly over-decorated ‘hotels’ with surly personnel. The disappearance of the resthouse system as it still existed in the post-war period is regrettable.

“Among well known and frequented resthouses were those of Bentota, Belihuloya, Hambantota, Arugam Bay, Kalkudah, Vakarai, KKS, Jaffna, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Pelmadulla and Negombo. Famous for seafood, especially fresh – not frozen –crab were the old resthouses at Negombo, Mannar and Jaffna.

“Some were romantic and picturesque beyond measure. The Kalkudah resthouse, covered with a thick thatch of cadjan over beautiful palmyra rafters, was situated beneath massive trees on the shore of a blue bay. Particularly charming was the resthouse at Elephant Pass. Built into the old Dutch fort, and with its large trees, it truly embellished, and stood out in, the bleak flatness of the shallow wetlands between the Chundikkulam and the Jaffna lagoons, through which runs the causeway connecting the Jaffna peninsula with the mainland.”

One late evening in the early 1950s Thilo and Mae arrived there and were assigned the last available room. During the night Mae was disturbed by a mysterious noise and movement in the room. Eventually Thilo closed the window and quiet returned. At breakfast Dr and Mrs H. A. Dirckze of Anuradhapura, who were also guests, casually informed them that the particular room was known to be haunted and thus shunned by visitors! Thilo thinks it was a bat.

The Elephant Pass fort and resthouse were severely damaged in 2000 during the battle with the LTTE. When they seized it they razed the structure to the ground. Not a trace remains of it today. The Portuguese fort at Pooneryn, too, had been badly damaged in the previous decade. Thilo, continues:

“These resthouses, just like the old temples, churches, villages and towns with their public buildings, fitted into the landscape like the key into a lock, exemplifying and accentuating the structure and atmosphere of the land. Today, unfortunately, most buildings, by themselves or collectively, are just blots on the landscape.

“Of course, not all resthouses were excellent. I remember the time at Kalpitiya when we had to flee from our rooms and spend the night in the car as the beds were teeming with bedbugs. At Matara and Weligama the beds were defective and the matresses bumpy, comparable to a potholed road. But on the whole resthouses were just right, and gave good value for money, which you can say for few hotels today.

“An unusual place was the resthouse on the Horton Plains, a very remote and lonely area in those days, especially in bad weather. It was accessible only on foot or horseback. The building had been put up in the late 19th century by Thomas Farr of North Cove Estate, Bogawantalawa as a hunting lodge. Farr was a famous ‘elk’ (sambhur) hunter. A fine stag would be chased over the plains by a pack of dogs, cornered and surrounded, then despatched by the hunter with a knife. This sport, called ‘running to hounds,’ was continued until the middle of the last century.

“The building then became a resthouse under the GA of Nuwara Eliya, and was mainly used by trout fishermen. In the 1970s Harold Peiris acquired it and named it Farr Inn. Still later the Ceylon Hotels Corporation took it over. Today it is a visitor centre of the Department of Wildlife Conservation. As a resthouse it never was a comfortable place. The beds were bumpy and damp, in an all-pervading cold and musty atmosphere.”

We might note here that in the early 20th century the open patanas of Uva formed the background of another peculiar British tradition: fox hunting. Not far from Gurutalawa the Erabedda Hunt had its clubhouse, stables and kennels. On horseback ladies and gentlemen in full dress, with topee (solar helmet), would chase ‘foxes’ (jackals), riding behind large packs of dogs. Today the old clubhouse is the bungalow of Mickelfield Farm, and the patanas are settled and cultivated. The jackals disappeared from the area long ago.

On and off road

Thilo has always been a fast driver, but he has never had a serious accident. In 1947 his first long drive with the new MG was a trip to Jaffna, around the Peninsula and back to Elephant Pass via Nakarkovil. A thrown-up stone had damaged the oil pipe of the car and it just managed to get to Anuradhapura at nightfall. There one of those tinkering jobs for which Ceylon was rightly famous was carried out, and made the return to Colombo possible.

After the MG TC and a Chevrolet cabriolet, Thilo owned an “uncomfortable” early Volkswagen Beetle, and subsequently various models of Peugeot cars. The first was a 403. He fitted this with a Swiss Motosacoche supercharger, which was engaged by pressing a button, and produced “a satisfying whine”. Many drivers of faster models of cars were surprised when it overtook them. Thereafter, he stuck to Peugeots, finding them eminently suitable for the rough conditions of use in Sri Lanka, with small adjustments, such as Koni shock-absorbers and protection against knocks from below. The last such car was a 504, which he bought in 1972, and drove till very recently.

Thilo also had a Land Rover Series I, maintained in fine condition like his other vehicles. It was specially outfitted for exploring in tough situations. There was a snorkel to the exhaust for deep water and, most important, a powerful winch. Axe, mammoties, strong 100-foot nylon ropes, katties, other tools, and spare parts were always on board.

Many times he found himself so immobilized in deep mud or sand that the chassis had to be dug out, and materials for the wheels to grip found and laid, before the jeep could be moved forward or back.Worst were the tracks created by the tall-wheeled bullock carts used in Eastern jungles and plains. In dry weather the ridge in the middle of the track became stone-hard. One had to drive with two wheels on this and the other two up across one of the ruts on either side. Sometimes the vehicle would slip sideways and lie on the ridge with all four wheels off the ground. There were only two options. If a strong tree was within reach of the rope the winch could be used. If not the middle and sides of the track had to be cut away in hours of dirty, hot, uncomfortable work.

When all else failed help had to be found, sometimes from great distances away. It needed up to 20 men or a tractor to get a truly struck jeep on to safe ground. Thilo recalls an incident where in the absence of men from the village a dozen strong women cheerfully came to the rescue. They were, of course, recompensed for their labour.In the late 1960s and 70s the villagers along the road to Wilpattu National Park used to flood the untarred road during the rainy season. This made it impossible to reach the Park in any kind of vehicle without their help, for which (from the few Park visitors) they collected a kind of toll!

Yet possibly the wildest drive Thilo undertook was in 1994 when he managed to coax his 18-year-old Peugeot 504 up from Arawa to the Uva Estate tea factory. Now demolished, this was one of the country’s most prominently visible buildings, at the abrupt northern end of the Madulsima mountain range, overlooking the wide valley of the Mahaweli.

The ascent is more than 3,000 feet over a distance of barely three miles. Had he got stuck on this incline, which he risked throughout, he would have had to abandon the car, as there was no turning back. His friend Guido Baumann preferred to walk – and was overtaken by a sturdy woman carrying a calf on her shoulders up that slope! Thilo embarked on this seemingly foolhardy adventure because, for decades, the official road map showed a motorable road there. (Reports about this and other errors brought no response from the Survey Department.)

During the insurgency of 1972 Thilo undertook some extensive trips. Never before or after was driving in the country so easy. Due to fear the roads were empty not only of vehicles, but also of people, and even cattle and dogs. He drove to Monaragala and explored the mountain range there. He also paid several visits to Palugaswewa Estate to support the Superintendent and staff during that difficult period.

In other countries

The Hoffmanns travelled mostly in Asia, apart from spending regular leave in Switzerland, at first once in four years, later two. The destinations preferred by them were India and Nepal, also Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand. In Africa, they visited Egypt several times, and Namibia and Botswana once. On two occasions they flew to the Maldives, well before, in Thilo’s words, “an overbearing tourist industry destroyed its unique charms.”

Mae was greatly attracted by Bombay, with its bustling life and the shopping opportunities not only of Indian textiles and handmade articles, but also of antiques, jewellery, books and artifacts of copper, iron, brass and silver, which were often museum pieces. She was especially fascinated by the original ‘Chor Bazaar’ (‘Thieves’ Market’), with its hundreds of stalls in small by-roads and ancient buildings where second-hand goods of all kinds were heaped up for sale. Later, says Thilo, the stalls were turned into shops that became fashionable and air-conditioned, with prices going up accordingly, and the bazaar lost the genuine aura of a `thieves’ market’.

Thilo is a life member of the Bombay Natural History Society, which he visited on several occasions. He knew Salim Ali, the famous ornithologist, quite well and joined several excursions led by him, and a seminar at Periyar in Tamil Nadu. He also knew Ali’s famous colleague S. Dillon Ripley, from the USA.

For the centenary celebrations of the BNHS in 1976 the Hoffmanns arrived at Bombay airport around midnight. As a result of the stringent exchange control in Sri Lanka at the time they did not have a cent in their pockets! The Taj Mahal Hotel failed to send a car for them though they had ordered one. They were stranded at the airport, not even able to use a telephone. Someone took pity on them, advanced them the cost of a taxi, and they had a bed for the night.

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Features

The US-China rivalry and challenges facing the South

Published

20 hours ago

2025/12/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Prof. Neil DeVotta making his presentation at the RCSS.

The US-China rivalry could be said to make-up the ‘stuff and substance’ of world politics today but rarely does the international politics watcher and student of the global South in particular get the opportunity of having a balanced and comprehensive evaluation of this crucial relationship. But such a balanced assessment is vitally instrumental in making sense of current world power relations.

Thanks to the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), Colombo the above window of opportunity was opened on December 8th for those sections of the public zealously pursuing an understanding of current issues in global politics. The knowledge came via a forum that was conducted at the RCSS titled, ‘The US-China Rivalry and Implications for the Indo-Pacific’, where Professor Neil DeVotta of the Wake Forest University of North Carolina in the US, featured as the speaker.

A widely representative audience was present at the forum, including senior public servants, the diplomatic corps, academics, heads of civil society organizations, senior armed forces personnel and the media. The event was ably managed by the Executive Director of the RCSS, retired ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha. Following the main presentation a lively Q&A session followed, where many a point of interest was aired and discussed.

While there is no doubt that China is fast catching up with the US with regard to particularly military, economic, scientific and technological capability, Prof. DeVotta helped to balance this standard projection of ‘China’s steady rise’ by pointing to some vital facts about China, the omission of which would amount to the observer having a somewhat uninformed perception of global political realities.

The following are some of the facts about contemporary China that were highlighted by Prof. DeVotta:

* Money is steadily moving out of China and the latter’ s economy is slowing down. In fact the country is in a ‘ Middle Income Trap’. That is, it has reached middle income status but has failed to move to upper income status since then.

* People in marked numbers are moving out of China. It is perhaps little known that some Chinese are seeking to enter the US with a view to living there. The fact is that China’s population too is on the decline.

* Although the private sector is operative in China, there has been an increase in Parastatals; that is, commercial organizations run by the state are also very much in the fore. In fact private enterprises have begun to have ruling Communist Party cells in them.

* China is at its ‘peak power’ but this fact may compel it to act ‘aggressively’ in the international sphere. For instance, it may be compelled to invade Taiwan.

* A Hard Authoritarianism could be said to characterize central power in China today, whereas the expectation in some quarters is that it would shift to a Soft Authoritarian system, as is the case in Singapore.

* China’s influence in the West is greater than it has ever been.

The speaker was equally revelatory about the US today. Just a few of these observations are:

* The US is in a ‘Unipolar Moment’. That is, it is the world’s prime power. Such positions are usually not longstanding but in the case of the US this position has been enjoyed by it for quite a while.

* China is seen by the US as a ‘Revisionist Power’ as opposed to being a ‘Status Quo Power.’ That is China is for changing the world system slowly.

* The US in its latest national security strategy is paying little attention to Soft Power as opposed to Hard Power.

* In terms of this strategy the US would not allow any single country to dominate the Asia-Pacific region.

* The overall tone of this strategy is that the US should step back and allow regional powers to play a greater role in international politics.

* The strategy also holds that the US must improve economic ties with India, but there is very little mention of China in the plan.

Given these observations on the current international situation, a matter of the foremost importance for the economically weakest countries of the South is to figure out how best they could survive materially within it. Today there is no cohesive and vibrant collective organization that could work towards the best interests of the developing world and Dr. DeVotta was more or less correct when he said that the Non-alignment Movement (NAM) has declined.

However, this columnist is of the view that rather being a spent force, NAM was allowed to die out by the South. NAM as an idea could never become extinct as long as economic and material inequalities between North and South exist. Needless to say, this situation is remaining unchanged since the eighties when NAM allowed itself to be a non-entity so to speak in world affairs.

The majority of Southern countries did not do themselves any good by uncritically embracing the ‘market economy’ as a panacea for their ills. As has been proved, this growth paradigm only aggravated the South’s development ills, except for a few states within its fold.

Considering that the US would be preferring regional powers to play a more prominent role in the international economy and given the US’ preference to be a close ally of India, the weakest of the South need to look into the possibility of tying up closely with India and giving the latter a substantive role in advocating the South’s best interests in the councils of the world.

To enable this to happen the South needs to ‘get organized’ once again. The main differences between the past and the present with regard to Southern affairs is that in the past the South had outstanding leaders, such as Jawaharlal Nehru of India, who could doughtily stand up for it. As far as this columnist could ascertain, it is the lack of exceptional leaders that in the main led to the decline of NAM and other South-centred organizations.

Accordingly, an urgent task for the South is to enable the coming into being of exceptional leaders who could work untiringly towards the realization of its just needs, such as economic equity. Meanwhile, Southern countries would do well to, indeed, follow the principles of NAM and relate cordially with all the major powers so as to realizing their best interests.

Features

Sri Lanka and Global Climate Emergency: Lessons of Cyclone Ditwah

Published

20 hours ago

2025/12/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Floods caused by Cyclone Ditwah. (Image courtesy Vanni Hope)

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah, which made landfall in Sri Lanka on 28 November 2025, is considered the country’s worst natural disaster since the deadly 2004 tsunami. It intensified the northeast monsoon, bringing torrential rainfall, massive flooding, and 215 severe landslides across seven districts. The cyclone left a trail of destruction, killing nearly 500 people, displacing over a million, destroying homes, roads, and railway lines, and disabling critical infrastructure including 4,000 transmission towers. Total economic losses are estimated at USD 6–7 billion—exceeding the country’s foreign reserves.

The Sri Lankan Armed Forces have led the relief efforts, aided by international partners including India and Pakistan. A Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter crashed in Wennappuwa, killing the pilot and injuring four others, while five Sri Lanka Navy personnel died in Chundikkulam in the north while widening waterways to mitigate flooding. The bravery and sacrifice of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces during this disaster—as in past disasters—continue to be held in high esteem by grateful Sri Lankans.

The Sri Lankan government, however, is facing intense criticism for its handling of Cyclone Ditwah, including failure to heed early warnings available since November 12, a slow and poorly coordinated response, and inadequate communication with the public. Systemic issues—underinvestment in disaster management, failure to activate protocols, bureaucratic neglect, and a lack of coordination among state institutions—are also blamed for avoidable deaths and destruction.

The causes of climate disasters such as Cyclone Ditwah go far beyond disaster preparedness. Faulty policymaking, mismanagement, and decades of unregulated economic development have eroded the island’s natural defenses. As climate scientist Dr. Thasun Amarasinghe notes:

“Sri Lankan wetlands—the nation’s most effective natural flood-control mechanism—have been bulldosed, filled, encroached upon, and sold. Many of these developments were approved despite warnings from environmental scientists, hydrologists, and even state institutions.”

Sri Lanka’s current vulnerabilities also stem from historical deforestation and plantation agriculture associated with colonial-era export development. Forest cover declined from 82% in 1881 to 70% in 1900, and to 54–50% by 1948, when British rule ended. It fell further to 44% in 1954 and to 16.5% by 2019.

Deforestation contributes an estimated 10–12% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Beyond removing a vital carbon sink, it damages water resources, increases runoff and erosion, and heightens flood and landslide risk. Soil-depleting monocrop agriculture further undermines traditional multi-crop systems that regenerate soil fertility, organic matter, and biodiversity.

In Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands, which were battered by Cyclone Ditwah, deforestation and unregulated construction had destabilised mountain slopes. Although high-risk zones prone to floods and landslides had long been identified, residents were not relocated, and construction and urbanisation continued unchecked.

Sri Lanka was the first country in Asia to adopt neoliberal economic policies. With the “Open Economy” reforms of 1977, a capitalist ideology equating human well-being with quantitative growth and material consumption became widespread. Development efforts were rushed, poorly supervised, and frequently approved without proper environmental assessment.

Privatisation and corporate deregulation weakened state oversight. The recent economic crisis and shrinking budgets further eroded environmental and social protections, including the maintenance of drainage networks, reservoirs, and early-warning systems. These forces have converged to make Sri Lanka a victim of a dual climate threat: gradual environmental collapse and sudden-onset disasters.

Sri Lanka: A Climate Victim

Sri Lanka’s carbon emissions remain relatively small but are rising. The impact of climate change on the island, however, is immense. Annual mean air temperature has increased significantly in recent decades (by 0.016 °C annually between 1961 and 1990). Sea-level rise has caused severe coastal erosion—0.30–0.35 meters per year—affecting nearly 55% of the shoreline. The 2004 tsunami demonstrated the extreme vulnerability of low-lying coastal plains to rising seas.

The Cyclone Ditwah catastrophe was neither wholly new nor surprising. In 2015, the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) identified Sri Lanka as the South Asian country with the highest relative risk of disaster-related displacement: “For every million inhabitants, 15,000 are at risk of being displaced every year.”

IDMC also noted that in 2017 the country experienced seven disaster events—mainly floods and landslides—resulting in 135,000 new displacements and that Sri Lanka “is also at risk for slow-onset impacts such as soil degradation, saltwater intrusion, water scarcity, and crop failure”.

Sri Lanka ranked sixth among countries most affected by extreme weather events in 2018 (Germanwatch) and second in 2019 (Global Climate Risk Index). Given these warnings, Cyclone Ditwah should not have been a surprise. Scientists have repeatedly cautioned that warmer oceans fuel stronger cyclones and warmer air holds more moisture, leading to extreme rainfall. As the Ceylon Today editorial of December 1, 2025 also observed:

“…our monsoons are no longer predictable. Cyclones form faster, hit harder, and linger longer. Rainfall becomes erratic, intense, and destructive. This is not a coincidence; it is a pattern.”

Without urgent action, even more extreme weather events will threaten Sri Lanka’s habitability and physical survival.

A Global Crisis

Extreme weather events—droughts, wildfires, cyclones, and floods—are becoming the global norm. Up to 1.2 billion people could become “climate refugees” by 2050. Global warming is disrupting weather patterns, destabilising ecosystems, and posing severe risks to life on Earth. Indonesia and Thailand were struck by the rare and devastating Tropical Cyclone Senyar in late November 2025, occurring simultaneously with Cyclone Ditwah’s landfall in Sri Lanka.

More than 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions—and nearly 90% of carbon emissions—come from burning coal, oil, and gas, which supply about 80% of the world’s energy. Countries in the Global South, like Sri Lanka, which contribute least to greenhouse gas emissions, are among the most vulnerable to climate devastation. Yet wealthy nations and multilateral institutions, including the World Bank, continue to subsidise fossil fuel exploration and production. Global climate policymaking—including COP 30 in Belém, Brazil, in 2025—has been criticised as ineffectual and dominated by fossil fuel interests.

If the climate is not stabilised, long-term planetary forces beyond human control may be unleashed. Technology and markets are not inherently the problem; rather, the issue lies in the intentions guiding them. The techno-market worldview, which promotes the belief that well-being increases through limitless growth and consumption, has contributed to severe economic inequality and more frequent extreme weather events. The climate crisis, in turn, reflects a profound mismatch between the exponential expansion of a profit-driven global economy and the far slower evolution of human consciousness needed to uphold morality, compassion, generosity and wisdom.

Sri Lanka’s 2025–26 budget, adopted on November 14, 2025—just as Cyclone Ditwah loomed—promised subsidised land and electricity for companies establishing AI data centers in the country.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament: “Don’t come questioning us on why we are giving land this cheap; we have to make these sacrifices.”

Yet Sri Lanka is a highly water-stressed nation, and a growing body of international research shows that AI data centers consume massive amounts of water and electricity, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.

The failure of the narrow, competitive techno-market approach underscores the need for an ecological and collective framework capable of addressing the deeper roots of this existential crisis—both for Sri Lanka and the world.

A landslide in Sri Lanka (AFP picture)

Ecological and Human Protection

Ecological consciousness demands

recognition that humanity is part of the Earth, not separate from it. Policies to address climate change must be grounded in this understanding, rather than in worldviews that prize infinite growth and technological dominance. Nature has primacy over human-created systems: the natural world does not depend on humanity, while humanity cannot survive without soil, water, air, sunlight, and the Earth’s essential life-support systems.

Although a climate victim today, Sri Lanka is also home to an ancient ecological civilization dating back to the arrival of the Buddhist monk Mahinda Thera in the 3rd century BCE. Upon meeting King Devanampiyatissa, who was out hunting in Mihintale, Mahinda Thera delivered one of the earliest recorded teachings on ecological interdependence and the duty of rulers to protect nature:

“O great King, the birds of the air and the beasts of the forest have as much right to live and move about in any part of this land as thou. The land belongs to the people and all living beings; thou art only its guardian.”

A stone inscription at Mihintale records that the king forbade the killing of animals and the destruction of trees. The Mihintale Wildlife Sanctuary is believed to be the world’s first.

Sri Lanka’s ancient dry-zone irrigation system—maintained over more than a millennium—stands as a marvel of sustainable development. Its network of interconnected reservoirs, canals, and sluices captured monsoon waters, irrigated fields, controlled floods, and even served as a defensive barrier. Floods occurred, but historical records show no disasters comparable in scale, severity, or frequency to those of today. Ancient rulers, including the legendary reservoir-builder King Parākramabāhu, and generations of rice farmers managed their environment with remarkable discipline and ecological wisdom.

The primacy of nature became especially evident when widespread power outages and the collapse of communication networks during Cyclone Ditwah forced people to rely on one another for survival. The disaster ignited spontaneous acts of compassion and solidarity across all communities—men and women, rich and poor, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and Hindus. Local and international efforts mobilized to rescue, shelter, feed, and emotionally support those affected. These actions demonstrated a profound human instinct for care and cooperation, often filling vacuums left by formal emergency systems.

Yet spontaneous solidarity alone is insufficient. Sri Lanka urgently needs policies on sustainable development, environmental protection, and climate resilience. These include strict, science-based regulation of construction; protection of forests and wetlands; proper maintenance of reservoirs; and climate-resilient infrastructure. Schools should teach environmental literacy that builds unity and solidarity, rather than controversial and divisive curriculum changes like the planned removal of history and introduction of contested modules on gender and sexuality.

If the IMF and international creditors—especially BlackRock, Sri Lanka’s largest sovereign bondholder, valued at USD 13 trillion—are genuinely concerned about the country’s suffering, could they not cancel at least some of Sri Lanka’s sovereign debt and support its rebuilding efforts? Addressing the climate emergency and the broader existential crisis facing Sri Lanka and the world ultimately requires an evolution in human consciousness guided by morality, compassion, generosity and wisdom. (Courtesy: IPS NEWS)

Dr Asoka Bandarage is the author of Colonialism in Sri Lanka: The Political Economy of the Kandyan Highlands, 1833-1886 (Mouton) Women, Population and Global Crisis: A Politico-Economic Analysis (Zed Books), The Separatist Conflict in Sri Lanka: Terrorism, Ethnicity, Political Economy, ( Routledge), Sustainability and Well-Being: The Middle Path to Environment, Society and the Economy (Palgrave MacMillan) Crisis in Sri Lanka and the World: Colonial and Neoliberal Origins, Ecological and Collective Alternatives (De Gruyter) and numerous other publications. She serves on the Advisory Boards of the Interfaith Moral Action on Climate and Critical Asian Studies.

Features

Cliff and Hank recreate golden era of ‘The Young Ones’

Published

20 hours ago

2025/12/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Cliff Richard and Hank Marvin’s reunion concert at the Riverside Theatre in Perth, Australia, on 01 November, 2025, was a night to remember.

The duo, who first performed together in the 1950s as part of The Shadows, brought the house down with their classic hits and effortless chemistry.

The concert, part of Cliff’s ‘Can’t Stop Me Now’ tour, featured iconic songs like ‘Summer Holiday’, ‘The Young Ones’, ‘Bachelor Boy’, ‘Living Doll’ and a powerful rendition of ‘Mistletoe and Wine.’

Cliff, 85, and Hank, with his signature red Fender Stratocaster, proved that their music and friendship are timeless.

According to reports, the moment the lights dimmed and the first chords of ‘Move It’ rang out, the crowd knew they were in for something extraordinary.

Backed by a full band, and surrounded by dazzling visuals, Cliff strode onto the stage in immaculate form – energetic and confident – and when Hank Marvin joined him mid-set, guitar in hand, the audience erupted in applause that shook the hall.

Together they launched into ‘The Young Ones’, their timeless 1961 hit which brought the crowd to its feet, with many in attendance moved to tears.

The audience was treated to a journey through time, with vintage film clips and state-of-the-art visuals adding to the nostalgic atmosphere.

Highlights of the evening included Cliff’s powerful vocals, Hank’s distinctive guitar riffs, and their playful banter on stage.

Cliff posing for The Island photographer … February,
2007

Cliff paused between songs to reflect on their shared journey saying:

“It’s been a lifetime of songs, memories, and friendship. Hank and I started this adventure when we were just boys — and look at us now, still up here making noise!”

As the final chords of ‘Congratulations’ filled the theatre, the crowd rose for a thunderous standing ovation that lasted several minutes.

Cliff waved, Hank gave a humble bow, and, together, they left the stage, arm-in-arm, to the refrain of “We’re the young ones — and we always will be.”

Reviews of the show were glowing, with fans and critics alike praising the duo’s energy, camaraderie, and enduring talent.

Overall, the Cliff Richard and Hank Marvin reunion concert was a truly special experience, celebrating the music and friendship that has captivated audiences for decades.

When Cliff Richard visited Sri Lanka, in February, 2007, I was invited to meet him, in his suite, at a hotel, in Colombo, and I presented him with my music page, which carried his story, and he was impressed.

In return, he personally autographed a souvenir for me … that was Cliff Richard, a truly wonderful human being.