by D.B.S. Jeyaraj

Various persons in different capacities have attempted to analyse and comment on the tragic post-independence history of deteriorating ethnic relations in Sri Lanka.

I happened to read an interesting and informative lecture on Sri Lankan ethnic relations by a brilliant left-leaning intellectual of Sri Lankan origin now domiciled in Britain.

Many of the younger generation may not have heard of this octogenarian who is however very well known to those of an earlier vintage interested and involved in the politics of race and class. He was actively involved in anti-racist struggles in Britain.

He is none other than Ambalavanar Sivanandan, director of the London based Race Relations Institute. He was also the founder editor of the much respected journal "Race and Class" of which he is now an advisory editor.

Sivanandan or Siva is also the author of a highly acclaimed novel relating to three generations of Sri Lankans. "When Memory Dies" won the Commonwealth writers prize. Two collections of his varuois essays have also been published. [click here to read in full ~ dbsjeyaraj.com]