SLWB supports PEN Canada’s Empty Chair Campaign

Authors, spoken word artists and queer activists Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, D’Lo and Yalini- Dream perform at the third installment of the Samadhana 2012 Benefit Reading Series. Moderated by Gitanjali Lena, this reading series highlights the literary talent in the Sri Lankan Diaspora, showcasing writers living in Canada and the United States.

On Thursday July 26, 2012, readings and performances by these three artists will be followed by a panel discussion at the ING Direct Downtown Café in Toronto.

Sri Lankans Without Borders is proud to present this special evening of performances in honour of LGBT Pride Month and as a tribute to the courageous and fierce queer and queer-friendly people of colour in Canada and Sri Lanka who continue the struggle on many fronts.

Through the Empty Chair, SLWB supports PEN’s efforts to highlight recent instances violations of freedom of expression including:

• Prageeth Eknaligoda, a political analyst, journalist and cartoonist of Lanka News who was reported missing on January 24, 2010 and his whereabouts are still unknown following his articles in favour of defeated opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka ahead of the Sri Lankan presidential elections in January, 2010.

• Gnanasundaram Kuhanathan, news editor of Uthayan, who was attacked by two unidentified men on July 29, 2011 for unknown reasons.

• Frederica Jansz, editor of The Sunday Leader who has been receiving death threats for having testified against the Sri Lankan Government’s Defense Secretary in the trial of former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka.