Rohini Mohan's 'The Seasons of Trouble' Examines Sri Lanka's Civil War Aftermath Through Personal Narratives
In her 368-page work, 'The Seasons of Trouble,' Rohini Mohan delves into the aftermath of Sri Lanka's civil war through intimate stories, particularly those of former LTTE members Sarva, Mugil, and Sarva's mother, Indra, starting from 2009. While residing in Bangalore, Mohan spent ten months in Sri Lanka and kept in touch with her subjects weekly. The narrative juxtaposes the government's portrayal of a decisive victory with few civilian losses against the Tamil minority's assertion of 40,000 civilian fatalities and alleged war crimes. Recent critiques include Frances Harrison's 2012 publication 'Still Counting the Dead' and Callum Macrae's 2013 film 'No Fire Zone.' Mohan explores the intricate dynamics between Tamil civilians and the Tamil Tigers, raising questions about military actions against indistinct combatants.
Key facts
- Rohini Mohan authored 'The Seasons of Trouble', a 368-page narrative nonfiction book about Sri Lanka's civil war aftermath
- The book focuses on personal stories of former Tamil Tigers Sarva and Mugil, and Sarva's mother Indra
- Mohan is Bangalore-based and lived in Sri Lanka for ten months, starting in 2009
- The Sri Lankan government narrative claims victory over the LTTE with minimal civilian casualties
- Tamil accounts allege 40,000 civilian deaths and war crimes during the conflict
- Frances Harrison's 2012 book 'Still Counting the Dead' and Callum Macrae's 2013 documentary 'No Fire Zone' challenge the government's narrative
- The Sri Lankan government denied allegations and refused cooperation with a UN war crimes investigation
- The book was published in ArtReview Asia's Spring 2015 issue
Entities
Artists
- Rohini Mohan
- Frances Harrison
- Callum Macrae
- Sarva
- Mugil
- Indra
Institutions
- Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
- Tamil Tigers
- United Nations
- ArtReview Asia
Locations
- Sri Lanka
- Bangalore
- India
- Manik Farm
- West