From pain to the stage: Sinhalese and Tamils united in a theater of healing

The play Yakawewata Nandikadal was born out of workshops promoted by the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) with communities affected by the war. Based on real-life stories, it is performed by non-professional actors and presented in Tamil and Sinhalese. It addresses pain, loss, and mutual distrust, calling for genuine cohesion and peaceful coexistence in Sri Lanka.

​Colombo (AsiaNews) - “Come, let us forget the bitter past with understanding and build a country where we can live together in peace.” These words resonate in the play Yakawewata Nandikadal, which will be performed at Kamatha, the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, on January 23, 2026. The play revisits the harsh realities reflected in various true stories, making a strong appeal for genuine reconciliation.

The basis for this production, rooted in a story shaped over many years, emerged from a series of workshops initiated by the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) of the Ministry of Justice, starting in 2025. "On May 19, 2025, we met with groups from Yakawewa in Kebithigollewa and Nandikadal in Mullaitivu, communities deeply affected by the war. We lit lamps and offered prayers in memory of all those who lost their lives, and we tried to share their life stories. So, we met them on May 28, and from that sharing, this healing play was born," said Wijith Rohan, president of ONUR, explaining its origin.

The play reflects the vision of Gayan Randheera, a graduate in Drama and Theater Arts from the University of Kelaniya and a young theater professional, who wrote the script and directed the show. Thanks to his sensitivity, the true spirit of Yakawewata Nandikadal is revealed to the audience with honesty and depth, without compromising the integrity of the real-life stories on which it is based. Presented simultaneously in Tamil and Sinhala, the play transcends language barriers. Randheera's direction ensures that the audience can grasp the visual and auditory elements fluidly, making the experience accessible.

The characters that bring Yakawewata Nandikadal to life emerged thanks to an initiative by Onur as part of its programs aimed at healing society. Around May 2025, a group of Sinhalese and Tamils—young and old, women and men, from Anuradhapura, Kebithigollewa, Mullaitivu, and Nandikadal, regions deeply scarred by war—began this collective journey of healing. These are people who speak two different languages, Tamil and Sinhalese, and who have come together to tell their stories of war and loss.

“The entire group consists of 45 participants, but only 19 appear on stage. None of them are actors, except for one man who has some theater experience. The others have no acting experience. That's why I chose to create the show in forum theater style,” explained Gayan Randheera.

“The biggest challenge was dealing with hatred,” he added. “At first, there was mistrust and suspicion on both sides. There was unspoken bitterness in their hearts. But after participating in the workshops together, things began to change. Understanding and affection replaced suspicion, and eventually we began to work together as one family. This makes me really happy.” He shared this thought with obvious pride in the positive outcome of the work.

“This incident occurred when Nithya was in her second year at school in Mankulam. It happened on June 15, 2006, the same day as the bus bombing in Kebithigollewa. On that day, the army fired mortar rounds at a terrorist camp near Nithya’s school. Many children lost their lives, unable to bear the terror and noise of the explosions. However, Nithya survived because her teacher protected her by holding her tight...". This is the crucial moment that shapes the emotional core of the play.

The play opens with a conversation between Vihanga Sathsara, a young Sinhalese student, and Nithya, a Tamil student, both enrolled at Eastern University. They are lovers. Sathsara lost his parents in the Kebithigollewa bus bombing and now lives with his grandfather. Nithya is a child victim of war. She was born in a refugee camp and grew up without a father. Her mother, who once lived in a border village, narrowly survived a violent clash between the army and Tamil militants and subsequently lived in a refugee camp. All her relatives are dead; Nithya and her mother only have each other.

Yakawewata Nandikadal weaves together the beginning, middle, and end through images, dialogue, dance, song, conflict, lamentation, light, and sound, presenting the audience with real-life stories of pain and hope from both sides of the conflict. But staging and watching these lives is not enough to do them justice. Thousands of stories similar to those depicted continue to cry out for justice and fairness in this country, particularly in regions devastated by war and bombing.

“We really have to work to turn the trust placed in us by the Tamil people of the north and east into reality,” Rohan said. “We are seeing the emergence of racist and religious extremist tendencies in the country, so we must continue on this path towards national unity and reconciliation.”

Although it has long been necessary to truly listen to these voices, it is not too late. In this context, the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) has a profound and far-reaching responsibility. The play Yakawewata Nandikadal should be seen as just a beginning. Even years after the end of the conflict, and despite the long existence of institutions created for national reconciliation, tangible progress has often been limited. In this context, the measures taken through theatrical performance are truly commendable.

Finally, it should not be forgotten that ONUR has both the mandate and the moral authority to introduce and pursue non-violent humanitarian initiatives that encourage people in a small country like Sri Lanka to live together peacefully, with a shared humanity, beyond ethnic, religious, and group divisions. This responsibility derives from the power entrusted by citizens to protect human dignity and promote a just, compassionate, and harmonious society.