Roar Media Archive

Welcome to Roar Media's archive of content published from 2014 to 2023. As of 2024, Roar Media has ceased editorial operations and will no longer publish new content on this website.
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Constitutional Crisis Deepens As President Sirisena Dissolves House

Ending days of speculation, President Maithripala Sirisena dissolved Parliament on the night of November 9th, calling for snap elections on January 5th, no more than two days after newly-appointed Government Information Director, Nalaka Kaluwewa, issued an official statement denying what he claimed was a “rumour”, spread by an “organized group”.

Why Does Sri Lanka Have Such A Fondness For Fast Food?

Fast food is becoming increasingly popular in Colombo, particularly among middle income and affluent sectors of society. Can the popularity of these companies and their marketing strategies give us an insight into our culture and economy as whole?

Serakkuliya Lagoon Turns Red After Rains

A lagoon near Puttalam has turned red following recent monsoon showers. Find out what caused it, and why it’s a symptom of a larger rift between locals and the government.

Finless Porpoise Of Sri Lanka

The Indo-pacific finless porpoise is one of the many rare species of marine mammals to exist in Sri Lankan waters. They are already a globally vulnerable species, and are facing many local threats to their survival.

Going The Distance: This Young Sri Lankan Will Run The Antarctic Ice Marathon In December

Hassan Esufally is steadily achieving his dream of becoming the first Sri Lankan to run a marathon on all seven continents, he talks about his conquests and upcoming challenges.

Not Just Pot Brownies: The Story Of Drug Use In Sri Lankan Schools

Supun’s* (name changed) tryst with drugs began with a brownie. “We were having an event at school, and a senior was selling pot brownies [laced with cannabis],” recalls the 20-year- old, who attended a leading international school in Colombo. “My friend convinced me to try it. That was the first time I used drugs — I think I was in grade eight.” According to Supun, he hated the experience at the beginning. Getting ‘high’ would leave him feeling light-headed and sluggish — but his friends convinced him to keep trying it until it began to feel good. “Apple [the street name for the opioid painkiller Tramadol] was also pretty common in school, though weed was the most frequently used. I thought it felt good — you just get really energetic and happy for a few hours, you know? But when the effects wore off, it left me really depressed and tired. I couldn’t study at all. In hindsight, I suppose it did affect my A-Level results.”

Five “Mini World’s Ends” in Sri Lanka

When people hear ‘World’s End’, they usually think the ‘World’s End’ – the big one that is part of the Horton Plains hiking trail. However, there are plenty of smaller, so called ‘Mini World’s Ends’ scattered across Sri Lanka’s hill country, each a spectacular destination in its own right and not exactly ‘Mini’ once you find yourself standing at the edge.

Five Lesser-Known Local Fruits

More likely to be found in your grandmother’s backyard or a Sunday pola rather than a supermarket, Sri Lanka has many obscure fruits whose popularity seems to be slowly waning over the years.

Hambantota Wind Farm To Be Dismantled

The first ever Sri Lankan wind farm in Hambantota will be dismantled due to a number of administrative reasons.

Sangat: A Feminist Movement Connecting Sri Lanka To South Asia

For Kamla Bhasin, a well-known name amongst NGO and feminist circles, working towards equality was never something to be compromised on. Having conducted trainings and capacity building programmes for both men and women in government and non-governmental organisations, Bhasin has been working towards gender equality for decades now. She organised her first course in 1976, for people who bring about change in their professional capacity, while working with the United Nations. Nearly 20 years later, during a similar workshop in Bangladesh which included representatives from South Asian and European countries, Sangat, an organisation focused on connecting South Asians working in the development sector, was formed. This includes people working in NGOs, and the health, education, and media sectors.

From Activist In Exile To Internationally Published Author: The Story Of Sharmila Seyyid

Here’s the saga of Sharmila Seyyid, a social worker and journalist from the east coast who survived religious extremism, and is now an award-winning author whose work was just translated and published by HarperCollins.

Thousands Protest Peacefully To Resolve Constitutional Crisis

Thousands of people gathered in a peaceful protest at the Liberty Junction on October 30, demanding that the President convene Parliament and protect democracy.

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