Sonali Wanigabaduge is a lawyer and media professional from Sri Lanka. She can be reached at s. This was Sri Lanka, where, along with most things, like restorative justice, love, openness, women on Tinder too, was demonised. But a dare was a dare. So anonymously, I created an account, swiping right on a good-looking stranger, a Sri Lankan Tamil living in Canada, briefly revisiting the country, in the 9 th year after the civil war had ended.
Having communicated to him that I was just there for conversation, I was surprised he stuck around. We spoke throughout the night. He told me how he was compelled to discontinue his education, and flee the country due to the conflict, and how he ended up working as a night club bouncer in Canada.
I listened, not saying a word. Through the years, we stayed in touch. Raga and I. We had diverse political beliefs. I believed in political structures, and I believed in fixing State institutions by going through the system. Raga, on the other hand, sympathised with the extremist rebel movement, which had been militarily defeated by the Sri Lankan government. He played cricket for a team named after the rebel group, which was internationally recognised as one of the most ruthless terrorist organisations in the world.
And when he met me- this Sinhalese woman who believed in nothing he subscribed to, that day in Canada- it was the most beautiful meeting of minds. Based on a true story. Get on tinder for a week and talk to strangers. That was the challenge. And one day, I met Raga. In person. And yes, I got off Tinder. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website.
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