Our people never had laws. Instead, we had sirith or customs. Those customs were built over thousands of years of experiment and experience. They balanced the relationship between kings, subjects, birds, beasts, trees, flowers. They arose of the need to create harmony between all things living. Now, we have laws. They are young in years and built for other types of people living in other types of societies. Most of what we call our law is their law. All of it is imported and none of it is important. Our people do not see their relevance to our society. Our people will consider laws as a last resort. Even then, even if all else fails, we may never go to the law for relief. This is because there is a meanness to them. A lie to them. A manipulation in them. A debilitation within them. So we break those laws and feel no regret or guilt because we see how false they are. But we will never break our sirith. To do so is worse than death because if we break them, even in the slightest measure, we tear to pieces, the very fabric of harmonious coexistence and none of us can live after having committed such a heinous crime.
The effects of cyclone Ditwah are even greater now than before. We at the Green Movement are committed to making damaged communities stronger by conducting medical camps and providing essential goods to survivors in the Matale District on the 23rd and 24th. We will keep you posted.
Read MoreAs part of the project, “Enhancing the Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Communities in Laggala-Pallegama through Sustainable Agriculture, Socioeconomic Empowerment, and Inclusive Policy Advocacy” (2025–2027), the Green Movement of Sri Lanka successfully conducted a Master Trainer Program last week at the Illukkumbura Temple in Laggala. This initiative marks an important step in strengthening local leadership and building long-term climate resilience within...
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Community discussions are vital because they foster a sense of belonging and provide support, empower individuals by giving them a voice in decision-making, leverage collective wisdom for innovative problem-solving and effective solutions, and build trust and strong relationships between people and organizations. On September 20, our team visited the communities in Illukkumbura, Kahagala, Puwakpitiya, Poththtawela, and Dammanthenna villages in...
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