COMMUNITY
Storytelling in Post-Aragalaya Sri Lanka
“If you truly believe someone is suppressing you, you can end up in jail for 15 years. So is there really a space for citizen journalism? I truly don't have an answer.”
Andrew Fidel Fernando
· Benislos Thushan
· Darshatha Gamage
· Raisa Wickrematunge
· Kanya D'Almeida
The SAAG launch event for Vol. 2, Issue 2 in Colombo, on 7th May 2024, began with a panel introduced by Chief Editor Sabika Abbas.
The panel, moderated by Andrew Fidel Fernando, discussed whether storytelling is possible in post-aragalaya Sri Lanka. How do artists and writers of all persuasions deal with the disappeared? How do we face a state that refuses to even let remembrance occur, particularly regarding the events of 18th May 2009, or Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day?
How did the events of 2022, the aragalaya in all its optimism, and the sharp break that followed affect the nature of reporting, fiction, social media, and the work of youth tech organizations?
The panel included:
Kanya D'Almeida, an award-winning writer and podcaster
Benislos Thushan, a digital storytelling enthusiast and lawyer
Darshatha Gamage, a youth empowerment and development specialist
Raisa Wickrematunge, Deputy Editor at Himal Southasian
We can't even remember our loved ones. Even regarding May 18th, we simply don't have any war memorials for people to go and mourn, and no national initiatives. Before, people at least went to social media. now it specifically says if you use social media, if you talk against the military, guess what? You'll be put into prison for five years—or more. If you truly believe someone is suppressing you, you can end up in jail for 15 years. So is there really a space for citizen journalism? I truly don't have an answer.
The SAAG launch event for Vol. 2, Issue 2 in Colombo, on 7th May 2024, began with a panel introduced by Chief Editor Sabika Abbas.
The panel, moderated by Andrew Fidel Fernando, discussed whether storytelling is possible in post-aragalaya Sri Lanka. How do artists and writers of all persuasions deal with the disappeared? How do we face a state that refuses to even let remembrance occur, particularly regarding the events of 18th May 2009, or Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day?
How did the events of 2022, the aragalaya in all its optimism, and the sharp break that followed affect the nature of reporting, fiction, social media, and the work of youth tech organizations?
The panel included:
Kanya D'Almeida, an award-winning writer and podcaster
Benislos Thushan, a digital storytelling enthusiast and lawyer
Darshatha Gamage, a youth empowerment and development specialist
Raisa Wickrematunge, Deputy Editor at Himal Southasian
We can't even remember our loved ones. Even regarding May 18th, we simply don't have any war memorials for people to go and mourn, and no national initiatives. Before, people at least went to social media. now it specifically says if you use social media, if you talk against the military, guess what? You'll be put into prison for five years—or more. If you truly believe someone is suppressing you, you can end up in jail for 15 years. So is there really a space for citizen journalism? I truly don't have an answer.
SUB-HEAD
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
Kareen Adam · Nazish Chunara
A Dhivehi Artists Showcase
Shebani Rao
A Freelancer's Guide to Decision-Making
Follow our YouTube channel for updates from past or future events. Artwork courtesy of Hafsa Ashfaq.
Panel
Colombo
Aragalaya
Storytelling
Citizen Journalism
Social Media
Fiction
Media Landscape
State & Media
Corporate
Corporate Media
Sri Lanka
Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day
War Memorials
Post-Aragalaya Moment
Narratives
Complicating the Unity of the Aragalaya
Optimism on the Local Level
Youth Media
Youth Tech
Remembrance
Mourning
State Repression
Social Media Crackdown
Sentencing Laws
Ranil Wickremasinghe
Gotagogama
ANDREW FIDEL FERNANDO is a journalist, senior writer at ESPNcricinfo, and the award-winning author of Upon a Sleepless Isle.
BENISLOS THUSHAN is a citizen journalist, photographer, and lawyer. He is the founder of Digital Storytelling, which aims to empower citizen journalism in Sri Lanka, and the co-curator of Everyday Sri Lanka.
DARSHATHA GAMAGE is currently the Head of Programmes at Hashtag Generation. He has worked on youth participation, preventing violent extremism, countering harm online, and elections. He has designed and implemented capacity-building programmes focused on critical thinking, digital media literacy, peacebuilding, and youth development.
RAISA WICKREMATUNGE is Deputy Editor at Himal Southasian, based in Colombo. She formerly worked at the Sunday Leader and the digital civic media initiative Groundviews. Her work has been published in The Guardian and First Post, among others.
KANYA D'ALMEIDA is a writer and reporter whose work has appeared in Granta, BBC Radio 4, and the Bombay Review. She was formerly the race and justice reporter for Rewire.News, and regional editor for Asia and the Pacific for the Inter Press Service. From 2010-2015 she reported for IPS from the United Nations, Washington, Mexico, and Sri Lanka. She hosts The Darkest Light, a podcast exploring stories of birth and motherhood in Sri Lanka.
27 Aug 2024
Panel
Colombo
27th
Aug
2024
Hafsa Ashfaq is a visual artist, graphic designer, currently an editorial designer for DAWN. She is based in Karachi.
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