Lisa Fuller

Lisa Fuller spent the past eight years as a senior staff member and a civilian peacekeeper at Nonviolent Peaceforce, working in war zones such as Iraq, South Sudan, and Sri Lanka. She currently writes about civilian peacekeeping and conflict prevention.

How Women Led a Peaceful Flotilla to Reclaim Their Island From the Sri Lankan Navy

One hundred community members have permanently moved back to the island. After a quarter century of displacement, they have begun to rebuild the long-neglected, war-ravaged town.

Lisa Fuller
By Lisa Fuller
Sri Lanka

When a flotilla of 44 motorboats filled with 300 Sri Lankan Tamils — and a small group of activists, journalists and clergy — ignored the navy’s explicit orders and set sail for their former homes on the navy-occupied island of Iranaitheevu, they didn’t actually think they’d make it in one piece. “We were very, very scared,” said Elisabeth, one

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How Unarmed Civilians Stopped Militant Sinhala Buddhist Attacks and Saved Lives in Sri Lanka

When militant Sinhala Buddhist mobs began sweeping through Sri Lanka’s Kandy district, hurling petrol bombs at Muslim-owned houses, shops and mosques, unarmed civilians stepped in and waged a waged a nonviolent campaign to protect their neighbors.

Lisa Fuller
By Lisa Fuller

On March 4th, Sinhala Buddhist mobs began sweeping through Sri Lanka’s Kandy district, hurling petrol bombs at Muslim-owned houses, shops and mosques. The attacks came as a shock, as Sri Lanka has not seen violence on this scale in nearly a decade. The government deployed thousands of security forces, armed with automatic weapons, tear gas and

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