Digital Collections

Digital Collection

Dissidents and Activists in Sri Lanka, 1960s to 1990

This collection documents the activity of a generation of Sri Lankan radical activists who, in their different ways, attempted to escape the claims of rival ethno-nationalisms and build alternative political and development projects, drawing on Marxism, Christian socialism, and feminism, among other inspirations.

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About

The digital library is the product of a collaboration among the American Institute for Lankan Studies (AILS), the University of Edinburgh, Princeton University Library, and the South Asia Open Archives. It was produced as part of a larger project entitled A Comparative Anthropology of Conscience, Ethics and Human Rights, directed by Prof Tobias Kelly (University of Edinburgh). The Sri Lankan strand is the work of three researchers, Dr Harini Amarasuriya (Open University Sri Lanka), Dr Sidharthan Maunaguru (National University of Singapore), and Prof Jonathan Spencer (University of Edinburgh). The generosity and the openness of the copyright owners and/or custodians of the materials, with whom AILS maintains memoranda of understanding, was a key element to realizing this digital archive. Many individuals contributed to this effort, but it would not have been possible without the untiring efforts of Crystal Baines (AILS), who was responsible for locating the materials, building relationships based on mutual trust with copyright owners or custodians of the materials, negotiating the digital rights with the owners, supervising the production of the images, and ensuring the accuracy of the metadata. The project was generously supported by a European Research Council Horizon 2020 Consolidator Grant (648477 AnCon ERC-2014-CoG), with additional support from the American Institute for Lankan Studies. 
The collection consists of three sections. The first is an assorted collection of Left-wing political and civil rights pamphlets and booklets dating from the 1960s to the 1990s. The authors and publishers include former left-wing political parties, trade union movements, and civil rights movements. The second section of the collection includes writings from the Sri Lankan Liberation Theology movement of the late twentieth century, which was inspired by the movement’s contemporaries from across Asia and Latin America. It includes the writings and publications of Rev. Paul Caspersz, Rev. Tissa Balasuriya, Rev. Yohan Devananda, and Rev. Michael Rodrigo, along with materials produced by their respective civil and human rights organizations. The third section is a selection of materials from the library of the Women’s Education and Research Centre (WERC). It includes WERC’s journal Nivēdinī, newsletter Pravahini, and other pamphlets, booklets, and flyers related to women’s resistance movements and women’s rights awareness programs of the late twentieth century. More details are available in the curated online exhibit at this link.

Copyright Owners & Custodians

Princeton University Library claims no copyright governing this digital resource. It is provided for free, on a non-commercial, open-access basis, for fair-use academic and research purposes only. Anyone who claims copyright over any part of these resources and feels that they should not be presented in this manner is invited to contact Princeton University Library, who will in turn consider such concerns and make reasonable efforts to respond to such concerns.
  • Left-wing Political Pamphlets: Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri (custodian) 
  • Fr Tissa Balasuriya Collection: Centre for Society and Religion, Colombo 10 (copyright owner)
  • Fr Paul Caspersz Collection: Satyodaya Educational Training Centre, Kandy (copyright owner)
  • Sevaka Yohan Devananda Collection: Devasarana Development Centre, Kurunegala (copyright owner), Marshal Fernando, Director Ecumenical Institute for Study and Dialogue (Custodian) 
  • Fr Michael Rodrigo Collection: Richard Rodrigo, Algi Wijewickrema, Shanthini de Silva (copyright owners), Sr Milburga Fernando (custodian), Oblate Scholasticate Kandy (custodian)
  • Women’s Education and Research Centre Collection: Women's Education and Research Centre, Colombo 6 (copyright owner)

Contributors

The curation and digitization of this archive was made possible by the generosity of the following individuals whose countless hours, unwavering support, and inspiring knowledge were crucial in sharing this archive with the world. 
  • American Institute for Lankan Studies, Colombo 6: Crystal Baines, John Rogers, Vagisha Gunasekara, Ramla Wahab-Salman, Sharmini Nagendran, Deepthi Guneratne 
  • Project Assistants: Shalini Weerasekara, Corita Fernando, Sanjutha Thiravinayagam, Hiranyada Dewasiri, Tharinda Mallawaarachchi 
  • Digitization and Technical Expertise: Ellen Ambrosone, Kimberly Leaman, Roel Muñoz, James Nye, Cliff Wulfman 
  • Anthropology of Conscience, Ethics and Human Rights Project: Jonathan Spencer, Harini Amarasuriya 
  • Federated Discovery for SAOA: Neel Agrawal
  • Tissa Balasuriya Collection: Fr Ashok Stephen (CSR Colombo), Fr Rohan Silva (CSR Colombo), Fr Eric Lakman (CSR Colombo), Achini Fernando 
  • Paul Caspersz Collection: Priyanthi Wijesinghe (Satyodaya Kandy), Fr Kamal Andradi (Satyodaya Kandy), Harsha Wanninayake (Satyodaya Kandy), Mythri Jegathesan 
  • Yohan Devananda Collection: Marshal Fernando (EISD Colombo), Bishop Duleep de Chickera, Ven. Buddiyagama Chandrarathana (Sri Bodhimalu Viharaya Wanathawilluwa Puttalam), Keerthi Gunetilleke (Devasarana Kurunegala), Mahinda Haththaka, Immanuel Kitnan (EISD Colombo) 
  • Michael Rodrigo Collection: Sr Milburga Fernando (Suba Seth Gedara Buttala), Nandini Gunewardena, Fr Ajith Wellington (Oblate Scholasticate Kandy), Fr Romesh Lowe (Oblate Scholasticate Kandy), Brother Amila Perera (Oblate Scholasticate Kandy), Algi Wijewickrema (family), Shanthini de Silva (family), Richard Rodrigo (family), Geetha de Chickera, Kanya d’Almeida, Quincy Saul 
  • Women’s Education and Research Centre: Shiranee Mills (WERC Colombo), Selvy Thiruchandran (WERC Colombo), Jeyamala Sivachelvam (WERC Colombo) 
  • Scanning and Digitization by Sanje Lanka Pvt Ltd: Prasanna Perera, Indika Sampath, Thilina Roshan

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Copyright

Princeton University Library claims no copyright governing this digital resource. It is provided for free, on a non-commercial, open-access basis, for fair-use academic and research purposes only. Anyone who claims copyright over any part of these resources and feels that they should not be presented in this manner is invited to contact Princeton University Library, who will in turn consider such concerns and make reasonable efforts to respond to such concerns.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], [Sub-collection name (if applicable)], Dissidents and Activists in Sri Lanka, 1960s to 1990 Collection, Princeton University Library.

Romanization

Please refer to the Library of Congress Romanization tables when searching the collection.