What The Hell Happened to Sri Lanka? with Desh Amila

Episode 4 took us on a journey that explored the underbelly of racial discord often ignored in Sri Lanka’s tourism brochures. The story covered attacks from different communities, hidden factions, election winning propaganda and Rajapaksa notoriety. From magic potions endorsed by Health officials, military lockdowns to forced cremations of Sri Lanka’s minorities and the deaths of thousands – the b...

Recap: Episode 3 tried to track the economic decisions that led to Sri Lanka’s money crisis that kicked off in 2019. From inflation to fleeting parliamentary policies to  fuel queues, it weighed the failures in the economy and the blame placed on the Rajapaksas, in an attempt to discern scapegoating from the truth. The aftermath of the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks left ricochets across the world. It...

Recap: Episode 2 was a walk down memory lane, exploring the political and personal echoes of Sri Lanka’s nearly three-decade-long civil war. It painted a portrait of that period, its leaders, its senseless violence, and the island nation’s relentless reach towards stability despite it all. A line of bad decisions and fiscal policies ultimately paved the way for Sri Lanka’s economy to fall apart. W...

Recap: Episode 1 took us on an introductory deep-dive into Sri Lanka’s history with conflict and democracy. It touched on the holes in some of the foundational systems in Sri Lanka, from ethnic equality to the election process - a gentle reminder that some of the island’s problems are old issues in new clothing.  Sri Lanka’s civil war spanned over the course of three decades. A turbulent time in t...

Sri Lanka’s complex crisis did not happen overnight. Episode one provides insight into Sri Lanka’s ancient history and its patterns of conflict fueled by elite figures to maintain power and control. We unravel claims of corruption against the Rajapaksas and the island’s inability to maintain peace for its people. Speakers: Asif Fuard (journalist, former war correspondent) Dr. Harsha De Silva (econ...

A five-episode documentary audio series, moderated by Australian-Sri Lankan producer, filmmaker and entrepreneur Desh Amila, that attempts to investigate the domino effect of events particularly around the Rajapaksa regime, that led up to the island’s current economic and political crisis.