The Reluctant Wife: Ginnen Upan Seethala and Gendering Revolution

European Journal of Life Writing ◽

10.21827/ejlw.10.37916 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. WLS126-WLS143

Author(s):

Kanchanakesi Warnapala

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Historical Record ◽

Politics Of Representation ◽

Dominant Ideology ◽

Biographical Film

This paper sets out to examine the politics of representation of the biographical film, Ginnen Upan Seethala (2018), which focuses on the life and times of Rohana Wijeweera, a rebel leader who led two failed insurrections in post-independence Sri Lanka. It argues that while the film seemingly exonerates the leader and the movement, through a discourse of domesticity, it simultaneously engages in a nuanced representation of Chithrangani Wijeweera, the wife of Rohana Wijeweera, a woman who has been positioned at the margins of the masculinized historical record of the JVP party. While such records have largely ignored testimony in which Chithrangani constructs herself as a reluctant wife who is subordinated to the dominant ideology of the party and its leader, the film provides her a more expansive and empathetic role and thereby bears witness to her tale of victimhood and survival, unraveling how patriarchal political conquest coopts women as strategic sites of political domination.

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In search of sepoys: Indian soldiers and the Dutch East India Company in India and Sri Lanka, 1760–1795

War in History ◽

10.1177/09683445211030301 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 096834452110303

Author(s):

Erik Odegard

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Historical Record ◽

East India Company ◽

Full Time ◽

Dutch East India Company ◽

French And English

Unlike the French and English India, the Dutch East India Company did not shift to recruiting predominantly Indian soldier personnel for service in India, sepoys, from the 1740s onwards. Although Dutch Company (VOC) remained much more reliant on European recruitment, it did in fact also recruit sepoys in India. These soldiers remain little noted in the sources and the historical record. This article will explain why the VOC did not follow the French and English lead. The VOC’s late acceptance of sepoys as full-time soldiers meant it could not effectively compete with either French or English companies in India.

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Abstract #604: Detection of Cardiovascular Risk Factors by Anthropometric Measures in Adults Living in an Urban Setting in Sri Lanka

Endocrine Practice ◽

10.1016/s1530-891x(20)42668-0 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

pp. 114-115

Author(s):

Kavinga Gunawardane ◽

Noel Somasundaram ◽

Neil Thalagala ◽

Pubudu Chulasiri ◽

Sudath Fernando

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽

Urban Setting ◽

Anthropometric Measures

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Prevalence of Suicidal Ideation in Sri Lanka

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000010 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 30-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sudath Samaraweera ◽

Athula Sumathipala ◽

Sisira Siribaddana ◽

S. Sivayogan ◽

Dinesh Bhugra

Keyword(s):

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

General Population ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

National Average ◽

The West ◽

Suicide Methods ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Completed Suicide ◽

The World

Background: Suicidal ideation can often lead to suicide attempts and completed suicide. Studies have shown that Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of suicide in the world but so far no studies have looked at prevalence of suicidal ideation in a general population in Sri Lanka. Aims: We wanted to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation by randomly selecting six Divisional Secretariats (Dss) out of 17 in one district. This district is known to have higher than national average rates of suicide. Methods: 808 participants were interviewed using Sinhala versions of GHQ-30 and Beck’s Scale for Suicidal Ideation. Of these, 387 (48%) were males, and 421 (52%) were female. Results: On Beck’s Scale for Suicidal Ideation, 29 individuals (4%) had active suicidal ideation and 23 (3%) had passive suicidal ideation. The active suicidal ideators were young, physically ill and had higher levels of helplessness and hopelessness. Conclusions: The prevalence of suicidal ideation in Sri Lanka is lower than reported from the West and yet suicide rates are higher. Further work must explore cultural and religious factors.

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Suicide on the Indian Subcontinent

Crisis ◽

10.1027//0227-5910.23.3.104 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 104-107 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Murad M. Khan

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Indian Subcontinent ◽

Interpersonal Relationship ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Elderly Subjects ◽

Important Public Health Problem ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Formidable Challenge ◽

Causative Factors

Summary: The Indian subcontinent comprises eight countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and the Maldives) and a collective population of more than 1.3 billion people. 10% of the world's suicides (more than 100,000 people) take place in just three of these countries, viz. India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. There is very little information on suicides from the other four countries. Some differences from suicides in Western countries include the high use of organophosphate insecticides, larger numbers of married women, fewer elderly subjects, and interpersonal relationship problems and life events as important causative factors. There is need for more and better information regarding suicide in the countries of the Indian subcontinent. In particular, studies must address culture-specific risk factors associated with suicide in these countries. The prevention of this important public health problem in an area of the world with myriad socio-economic problems, meager resources, and stigmatization of mental illness poses a formidable challenge to mental health professionals, policy makers, and governments of these countries.

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