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Author V.V. Ganeshananthan goes beyond labels to tell the story of war, terrorism and Lanka’s Tamil community in Brotherless Night

Published

3 years ago

2023/04/30

Ganeshananthan, 43, American writer and journalist of Lankan Tamil descent, says she wants to dismantle the very language of terrorism

The opening line of V.V. Ganeshananthan’s sophomore novel, Brotherless Night, will give you pause. Maybe you’ve settled down in an armchair with a cup of tea, or maybe you’re leaning against a shelf in a bookstore, on the prowl for your next big read. Either way, the opening line will disarm you.

“I recently sent a letter to a terrorist I used to know.” In a way, the line speaks to the specific challenges of documenting the Sri Lankan civil war. Thousands of narratives clamour for precedence, and no single strand of politics, empathy or logic can do justice to them all. What Ganeshananthan, 43, American writer and journalist of Lankan Tamil descent, seeks to do is bring obscured voices back into the conversation. And for that, she first dismantles the very language of terrorism.

“One of the things that the rhetoric of terrorism seeks to do is to make the terrorist unintelligible,” says the author over a Zoom call from Minneapolis, where she teaches creative writing at the University of Minnesota. “The majority of people who have been referred to in that way are not unintelligible. Discussing their motivation doesn’t justify it, it just tries to understand it and to think about how someone might have arrived at that point

Ganeshananthan had been working on her first novel, Love Marriage (2008), about a Sri Lankan family fractured by the civil conflict, when she stumbled upon a significant piece of research. In 1987, a Tamil Tiger had gone on a widely-publicised hunger strike at the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in northern Sri Lanka. His speeches were broadcast on some TV channels, and people from all over the Jaffna peninsula came to watch and to participate. After 12 days of abject theatricality, he died.

“The incongruity of that setting, the broad spectrum of people who were in attendance, the different stories that people were attempting to tell, and the way that those stories argued with each other… It was one of the first ways that I found my path to the point of view that I eventually used in Brotherless Night,” Ganeshananthan says.

Even though her book isn’t really about the hunger strike, it does manifest a lot of its broader themes. What motivates someone to become a militant? What makes them a martyr? And what happens, then, to the people they love and who love them? The character of Sashi, an aspiring doctor, coming of age during the first years of the war, was initially conceived to be the vantage point from which Ganeshananthan could question the events surrounding the hunger strike. Eventually, she emerged as a quiet but resolute protagonist in her own right.

“Sashi sometimes doesn’t actually know if she is doing things of her own volition or not,” says Ganeshananthan. “Sometimes she is and people think she is not, and sometimes she isn’t and people think she is and sometimes she herself can’t tell the difference.”

As the novel progresses, Sashi’s expression of her free will grows stronger, nurtured by University of Jaffna professor Anjali Premachandran. This character was inspired by real-life professor and activist Dr. Rajani Thiranagama, who was assassinated allegedly by the LTTE for speaking out against their atrocities, and was most recently commemorated by Shehan Karunatilaka in his Booker-winning novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. Interestingly Thiranagama’s sister, Nirmala Rajasingam, narrates the audiobook for Brotherless Night.

The book is the product of over a decade of research into the Sri Lankan civil war, which saw Ganeshananthan poring over written accounts, unearthing old photographs, and speaking to those who had lived through it first-hand. Over the course of her conversations with survivors of the war, she repeatedly came across narratives that hadn’t often been documented.

In one chapter in the book, a militant comes to Sashi’s neighbour’s house and asks her to prepare food for his battalion. “How generous of you to say ‘ask’ when she has no choice,” Sashi’s brother Aran responds, articulating the sort of coded coercion that was often imposed on the civilian community.

“Some of that coded language is easier to represent in fiction,” Ganeshanthan says. “The form itself has an elasticity that allows me to represent truths of the community without subjecting them to a kind of verification that might be painful. I don’t think the people who went through this should have to prove it.”

In another chapter, the government requests all Tamil boys of a certain age to come in for what they claim will be a simple security check, necessitated by the increase in anti-state violence. Citizens are made to believe that if they comply, they will be absolved of all suspicion. Instead, all the boys who present themselves for checking are detained without cause, and released only after the women of Jaffna protest.

“There have been stories of women in the war, but the ones that have taken centrestage have by and large been of women who took up arms,” says Ganeshananthan. “The stories I grew up with were of women civilians who were doing things like helping their elderly move homes every time they got displaced, or studying by candlelight, or waiting it out in their houses when there was shelling. I have a lot of respect for these women.”

In many ways, Brotherless Night is a feminist novel, one that centres on women, students and civilians whose lives have been disrupted by war. It is a novel that exalts domestic labour and caregiving as valiant war-time efforts, and especially honours the sacrifices made by the medical fraternity.

It is also, in a way, a coming-of-age novel dedicated to young people whose lives have been defined by a conflict they had no choice but to respond to. “I’m not interested in justifying atrocities committed by either the state or non-state actors. What I am interested in, is restoring all people to the conversation,” Ganeshananthan signs off. (The Hindu)

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Colombo Law Society objects to judges’ retirement age move

Published

20 hours ago

2026/07/4

Thilina Walpola

…Urges President not to undermine public confidence in independence of judiciary

The Colombo Law Society has urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake not to proceed with any constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges, warning that such a move could undermine public confidence in the independence of the judiciary.

In a letter dated July 2, 2026, the Society said its Executive Committee had unanimously resolved to convey its concerns following reports of a proposal to increase the retirement age of judges of the superior courts.

The Society said any amendment affecting the tenure of sitting judges should be approached with caution, adding that public confidence in the independence of the judiciary must be safeguarded.

Full text of the letter: The Executive Committee of the Colombo Law Society, at its duly convened meeting held on 25 June 2026, deliberated extensively on the reported proposal to increase the retirement age of Judges of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

Having carefully considered the matter, the Executive Committee unanimously resolved to convey its concerns to Your Excellency and to express its support for the position taken by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka in its letter addressed to Your Excellency, dated 25 May, 2026.

The Colombo Law Society recognizes and appreciates the invaluable contribution made by members of the higher judiciary to the administration of justice in Sri Lanka. However, we respectfully take the view that any alteration to the constitutionally established retirement age of Superior Court Judges must be approached with the utmost caution and only after broad consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

The existing retirement ages of Judges of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court have remained unchanged since the promulgation of the 1978 Constitution. Any departure from this long-standing constitutional framework, particularly where it affects serving judges, may give rise to public concern and perceptions that could undermine confidence in the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

The independence of the judiciary is one of the cornerstones of the Rule of Law and democratic governance. Equally important is the public perception of such independence. The judiciary must not only be independent in fact but must also be seen to be independent and free from any appearance of influence or accommodation.

The Colombo Law Society further notes that the number of Judges of both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court was increased through constitutional reform in 2020. In those circumstances, questions naturally arise as to whether there exists a compelling institutional necessity to alter the retirement age of Superior Court Judges at this juncture.

We respectfully submit that constitutional amendments relating to the judiciary should be undertaken only after careful consideration of their long-term impact on judicial independence, public confidence, and the constitutional framework of the Republic.

Accordingly, the Colombo Law Society respectfully urges Your Excellency to give the fullest consideration to the concerns expressed by the legal profession and to refrain from proceeding with any constitutional amendment seeking to extend the retirement age of Judges of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

We remain confident that Your Excellency will continue to uphold and safeguard the independence, integrity, dignity, and public confidence in the judiciary, which remain essential to the preservation of the Rule of Law and democratic governance in Sri Lanka.

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Freedom 250: US Embassy celebrates America’s 250th Independence Day through magic of American cinema

Published

20 hours ago

2026/07/4

Thilina Walpola

Fireworks illuminate the Colombo night sky on Thursday as the US Embassy in Sri Lanka commemorated America’s semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence.

The US Embassy in Sri Lanka commemorated America’s semiquincentennial—250 years of independence—with Chief Guest, Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa, and hundreds of Sri Lankan partners, government officials, business leaders, diplomats and friends of the United States, at a Freedom 250 celebration honouring the enduring power of freedom through the lens of American cinema. The July 2 celebration highlighted the ideals that have shaped the United States for two and a half centuries—individual liberty, self-government, freedom of expression, and the belief that free people can dream, create, and shape their own future. The Embassy grounds were transformed into an immersive cinematic experience, celebrating how American films have reflected those freedoms while inspiring audiences across generations and around the world, including in Sri Lanka.

Welcoming guests to the celebration, Chargé d’Affaires Jayne Howell reflected on the profound connection between American freedom and cinematic storytelling. “Tonight, we celebrate 250 years of American independence by honouring one of our nation’s greatest gifts to the world—the art of cinema,” she said.

“For more than a century, American filmmakers have used their creative freedom to craft stories that resonate across every border and culture. From the opening of the world’s first dedicated movie theater in New Orleans, in 1896, to the groundbreaking animation of Snow White, from the sweeping epics like The Godfather to the technological marvels of Avatar, Star Wars and Jurassic Park, and classics like The Bridge on the River Kwai—filmed in Sri Lanka and forever linking the island to Hollywood history—our films reflect the very freedoms we celebrate today—the freedom to dream boldly, to question deeply, and to imagine new possibilities.”

CDA Howell continued, “As we share this cinematic journey with our Sri Lankan friends—fellow champions of democracy and freedom—we’re reminded that the best American stories are universal stories. They speak to the courage we see in The Wizard of Oz, the unity we witness in The Avengers, the wonder we experience through E.T., the spirit of exploration and achievement captured in films like Apollo 11, and the resilience we admire in Forrest Gump. Tonight, we celebrate not just American cinema, but the freedom that makes it possible—the freedom to tell any story, to show America at its best and its most complex, and to believe that movies can change how we see ourselves and each other. That freedom is what we honour on this 250th anniversary and the enduring values that will guide us forward.”

The evening opened with a stunning visual spectacle: rooftop screens displayed on the Embassy building celebrating 250 years of American independence and commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The centerpiece was an open-air screening, under the stars, featuring carefully curated clips that traced American cinema’s evolution—from silent films that established visual storytelling techniques still used today, through Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (the first full-length animated feature), The Matrix’s groundbreaking “bullet time” effects, to Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, which redefined superhero cinema as a vehicle for exploring complex questions about justice and society.

The celebration concluded with fireworks illuminating the Colombo sky as the III Marine Expeditionary Force Band, the US Marine Corps’ forward-deployed band in the Indo-Pacific region, based in Okinawa, Japan, performed a montage of American songs that have inspired generations. Guests enjoyed a menu featuring high-quality US beef and other American food and beverages, showcasing the global reputation of American agricultural exports.

As the United States marks 250 years of independence, Freedom 250 celebrates the enduring idea that has defined America since 1776—that freedom unlocks human potential, fuels creativity and innovation, and empowers individuals to shape a better future. Through education, trade, investment, security cooperation, and the enduring ties between our people, the United States and Sri Lanka continue to strengthen a partnership built on opportunity and shared democratic values.

The US Embassy extends its sincere gratitude to the generous sponsors whose support made this year’s Independence Day celebration possible, including Diamond Sponsors Brandix, Hayleys, Hirdaramani, MAS Holdings, Mastercard, RM Parks, and Visa, along with our other valued partners.

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CA dismisses application filed by Yoshitha seeking to quash conspiracy charge in money laundering case

Published

20 hours ago

2026/07/4

Thilina Walpola

The Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed a revision application filed by Yoshitha Rajapaksa seeking to quash a conspiracy charge in the money laundering case, pending before the Colombo High Court.

Rajapaksa had challenged the conspiracy count in the indictment filed by the Attorney General, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, contending that the charge was not legally maintainable.

A Court of Appeal Bench, comprising Justices Amal Ranaraja and Dr. Sumudu Premachandra, rejected the application, ruling that the conspiracy charge could proceed before the Colombo High Court.

The ruling clears the way for the High Court to continue hearing the money laundering case, filed by the Attorney General against Rajapaksa.