INTERVIEW WITH: Marilyn Cormier grew up in Sri Lanka and moved to the United States when she was young. She now works as the director of Community Relations in the Office of the President at St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vt.

To start with, growing up in Sri Lanka we were minus one type of media, we did not have TV. In these times, I'm sure that if not up to par with the United States, Sri Lanka has most of the modern day technologies. I recall as a child that the press did not have the freedom that the press in the U.S. does. It didn't seem that you could openly report stuff about the government like you can over here. I don't know what it is like now. Remember I've been away for over 25 years.

Unfortunately, in recent times the overriding press on Sri Lanka has been the civil strife that has been on going for the past several years between the Singhalese and Tamils. Most descendants of the Europeans (like myself) have left the country as things became harder for us when Sri Lanka became a Republic in the 70s. Most of us are in Australia and England, a few in the US. However, Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful islands to visit as you can pretty much choose what you would like to do. The beaches are absolutely stunning -- white beaches -- miles and miles to walk filled with palm trees, just beautiful. There are natural life parks where you can spend time and see incredible wild life. You can visit the hill country and see the amazing famous tea estates of Sri Lanka -- the world famous teas. The history of the country is so interesting and wonderful to visit -- tied to the Buddhist and Hindu religions. So you can see that tourism is one industry of the country. Tea is another as are the fabulous jewels of the country, especially sapphires, rubies, etc. In the Southern districts, fishing is a lifeline of theirs.

With the above said, when the Tsunami hit the country, two of their main industries were affected -- tourism and fishing. One of the reasons why the project I'm working on, "Village to Village," is supporting a fishing area in the Southern District, as they are desperate for help as whole villages were wiped out.

In my opinion, the best information we have been able to gather has been through the BBC. It's been hard to get information otherwise. I called a friend in Sri Lanka, and the stories you hear are so different to those reported in the press that it's very frustrating that you don't hear exactly what's going on.

Example: You've probably read that millions of dollars are going to these Tsunami hit countries. However, in Sri Lanka, the government is holding on to the dollars waiting to build up some of the bigger tourist areas, but the people of the little fishing villages are getting nothing yet. This is their life, and still no relief in sight. (Reason for us helping them)

BBC story example: A doctor reported that all she did was hand out aspirin. My brother in law who is also a doctor looked into that story and found out that it was the truth; however, the reason she was handing out pills was because in one village most of the people were dead. In the second village the people needed homes and food -- the need was much greater than medicine at the time -- so the story in the press was a bit contorted.

I don't know that this is helpful, I grew up in a Colonial English upbringing, went to a Catholic convent and probably would say grew up quite privileged. Once I came to the States, I'm not sure its something I'm proud of, but that was the way of life then.

Click on one of the other names to hear his or her thoughts about Sri Lanka's media and culture.

Ian Barrow, professor of history at Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vt. He did a project entitled Research in Sri Lanka: British Colonial Surveying in Sri Lanka, 1796-1850.
Angelo Fernando covers media issues in his writing for Sri Lanka. He has spent many years living and working in Sri Lanka. He was referred to me through Marilyn Cormier, from the President's Office at St. Michael's College, in Colchester, Vt.
Rukman De Silva, a graduate student from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH.