Janaka Biyanwila

NPP election rally in Sri Lanka

The working-class party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna — part of the National People’s Power coalition — gained an outright majority in the country’s 225-seat parliament, reports Janaka Biyanwila.

crowd at an election rally and inset photo of AKD

Sri Lanka’s presidential elections represent a historic change in representative politics and mark a new beginning, with many challenges for progressive forces, reports Janaka Biyanwila.

protesters with flags

Two years after the popular anti-government uprising, the struggle for democracy in Sri Lanka remains fragile, writes Janaka Biyanwila.

two women holding signs

The Frontline Socialist Party actively contributed to the 2022 popular uprising in Sri Lanka. Green Left’s Janaka Biyanwila interviewed Pubudu Jayagoda, who is the FSP’s educational secretary and central committee member about the party's organising work.

Sri Lanka

More than a year after the popular uprising in Sri Lanka that removed an autocratic president, the regime continues to reinforce authoritarian tendencies in implementing debt restructuring reforms, reports Janaka Biyanwila.

Sand film 2023

Janaka Biyanwila reviews Sand (Munnel in Tamil), directed by Visakesa Chandrasekaram, which screened at the Sydney Film Festival.

#GoHomeGota

As Sri Lanka approaches the anniversary of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation in July last year, following a popular uprising, the social struggle continues, reports Janaka Biyanwila.

Goto go gama

Seven months on from the Sri Lankan popular uprising, Janaka Biyanwila looks at how government spin, backed up with state violence, is attempting to keep a lid on popular discontent.

Sri Lanka

After nearly two months in self-imposed exile, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa returned to Sri Lanka on September 3, reports Janaka Biyanwila.

Sri Lanka protest August 2022

The Sri Lankan government has begun escalating its repression against the popular movement that removed former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa from office, reports Janaka Biyanwila.

Lahiru Weerasekera, a student leader and key actor in the people’s movement, discusses the new forms of struggle in the mass protests in Sri Lanka.

July 9 Sri Lanka

The people’s movement in Sri Lanka that converged in the last three months achieved its main objective on July 9 with President Nandasena Gotabhaya Rajapakse's offer to resign, reports Janaka Biyanwila.