A critique of Sri Lanka Unites: Freedom has NOT made itself known
Repost This Article“After 25 years, terror, war, and violence have lost their grip, and freedom has finally made itself known” ~ Prashan De Visser, President, Sri Lanka Unites
While acknowledging the meritorious work of Sri Lanka Unites and the passion being exhibited by such young people in contrast to the general apathy of most of their peers, as a Sri Lankan I feel it is my duty to bring to note certain issues that must be brought to light.
Firstly, I am astounded and dismayed by Prashan De Visser’s message to the participants of the “Future Leader’s Conference” organized by Sri Lanka Unites. It requires a level of supreme audacity or ignorance to proclaim that “freedom has finally made itself known” when we are currently under the aegis of a tyrannical terror state. Over 300,000 of my fellow citizens are living in sub-human conditions, 18 journalists have been killed under the current regime and Tamil’s are still treated as second class citizens and Prashan De Visser proudly proclaims (to kids who are likely to have relatives in the IDP camps) that they are now free. Moreover, no mention appears to be mentioned of the fact that ‘Young Leaders’ from the Killinochchi and Mullaithivu districts could not attend. As a Sri Lankan, I demand an apology from Prashan De Visser and Sri Lanka Unites and call upon the Trustees of Sri Lanka Unites to conduct an investigation into the Sri Lanka Unites Team’s conduct.
Secondly, Sri Lanka Unites has consistently appears to be biased and seemingly intolerant of diversity. A quick glance through the “Future Leader’s Conference” handbook reveals a majoritarian psyche. Although the LTTE and its abuses are repeatedly ostracized there is no mention of the numerous abuses committed by present and past Sri Lankan governments. Unlike many white South Africans, who live with deep anguish about their collective responsibility for apartheid no remorse was exhibited by the leaders of Sri Lanka Unites for either the LTTE’s or GOSL’s atrocities. Furthermore, there is no mention of the indismissable structural issues that have been the issue of so much contention of the past 50 years eg the language issue. Anushka Wijesinha, Assistant Vice President, uses the phrase “separatist LTTE”, this conjoinment of words in an atmosphere where the LTTE is disparaged makes separatism ie the desire for a separate state evil; without any sort of qualification as to why its so.
Thirdly, following on from above, the conference in its sessions failed to answer pertinent questions such as “Why should Sri Lanka be united?”, “Is there such a entity as a Tamil/Sinhala nation?”, “Should Sri Lanka have devolution of power and sovereignty?”. Never was the question brought up “What can we do to change society so that Tamil being an official language is implemented?” or “What can we do against discrimination against Tamils?”. Also, issues related to vital constitutional reform were utterly neglected: I am very curious as to what Sri Lanka Unites’ response will be to the issue of Buddhism being virtually the State religion. How can members of all faiths be united when one faith has is “fostered” by the Constitution (which is supposed to represent all people). Sri Lanka Unites exhibited gross insensitivity to one of the primary causes of division when, in its handbook, it permitted the publishing of two advertisements: one was entirely in Sinhalese, the other entirely in English.
Fourthly, but what can one expect. It was extremely disappointing to look at the speaker line up for the conference. Of the 8 speakers none of the minorities were represented, with the exception of Kumar Rupesinghe and perhaps Jayantha Dhanapala there were no people who have seriously worked toward reconciliation. Although Sri Lanka hosts a respected think tank on ethnic studies in the form of ICES, no one appears to have been invited from there, nor was anyone there from the CPA. If one perhaps wanted to be a bit less controversial someone like Jehan Perera or even Vasudeva Nanayakkara could have been invited. Generally speakers appeared to justify or at least did not seriously challenge the existing discriminatory structure in Sri Lanka or present methods to reform it.
Fifthly, Sri Lanka Unites has entirely ignored the issue of class and regional unity. While being careful to present an ethnically diverse Committee and to some extent Trustee Board Sri Lanka Unites does not have representation from the majority socio-economic groups or regions. In fact, all the trustees are from Colombo and 7 of the 16 are captains in the private sector. Similarly, none of the Sri Lanka Unites Team reside outside Colombo with only one hailing from the ‘districts’. Moreover, there appears to be no initiative or desire to bridge the immense class/social gaps that plague Sri Lanka.
Sixthly, Sri Lanka Unites appears to continue the venerable Sri Lankan tradition immortalized by the ‘Uncle Nephew Party” and of between the Trustees and the Committee there are three parent-child links. Not only is such an arrangement unprofessional but is a moral hazard in a country where corruption and nepotism are rife. It appears that Anushka Wijesinha’s “stringent checks and balances” may appear to be in vain.
Seventhly, Dhishan Wickramaratne jubilantly celebrates his self-defined Sri Lankan identity by writing “We are Sri Lankan!” in the conference handbook. If I were a child in an IDP camp (to use a caricatured yet legitimate example) I would think:
- I cannot conduct significant amounts of business with the Sri Lankan State in my language
- The Sri Lankan State consciously killed members of my family via artillery fire
- I am a prisoner who has committed no crime
- I am subjected to endless discrimination
Therefore, it appears that Sri Lanka doesn’t accept me. Hence, such a child cannot and will not feel that he/she is Sri Lankan and we cannot expect that to be. Dhishan Wickramaratne perhaps might be more careful to say “Let us work to creating a Sri Lanka for all”.
Eighthly and finally, Sri Lanka Unites, as may be expected from an organization of this nature whose board lacks serious peace activists, has fundamental philosophical weaknesses that must be rectified before it is able to reunite Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka as a unitary state is arguably not taken for granted by a majority of the minority Tamil community and must be convinced of its viability. Ignoring discriminatory policies and expecting unity is naïve. Sri Lanka Unites must work for unity based not on forgetting the past but by dealing with the basic issues that cause disunity, which appear to be utterly disregarded. I must ask why wasn’t the possibility of a peaceful two-state solution even discussed? The basis of achieving unity appears to be that of a victor’s peace. You have to unite regardless of whether you desire to do so. Sri Lanka Unites should focus on making people desire to unite for their common good. The prerequisites for unity and reconciliation are equal rights, opportunity and freedom for all (including minorities) – reconciliation cannot be achieved without rights.
[Editors note: For a comprehensive response by Sri Lanka Unites to this critique, please read Sri Lanka Unites: Our vision and work]
// I cannot conduct significant amounts of business with the Sri Lankan State in my language
You admit it or not, you have to learn majority’s language if you are going to be successful in “business”. You can be OK if you are a farmer, but if you tend todo a white collar job, you have to learn Sinhalese
//The Sri Lankan State consciously killed members of my family via artillery fire – No proof, only hypothesis
//I am a prisoner who has committed no crime – This is also wrong. Or other wise they can be set free on terrains with one landmine per square meter.
// I am subjected to endless discrimination – How?
Very thoughtful arguement put forward by the author.
S/He has tried to ask the question why the current unitary structure of the state has been a problem and then try to trouble shoot.
When the state itself put one Religion and language at a pedestal and gives preferential status with it’s constitution ,It’s only natural that those who don’t belong to the preferred religion or language of the state , feel alienated/discriminated.
This is the fundamental flaw in SL constitution.This fact has been acknowledged even by the JVP stalwart Somawansa Amarasinghe.
For a Unitary state to succeed and thrive,cultural and language pluralism has to accepted, Secularism should be the state religion.
All religions and languages are encouraged and fostered without favoring one or the other.
All languages spoken in the country has to be recognized as state languages.All cultures practiced in the country has to be recognized as state cultures.
That is multiculturalism and equality.
Secularism and parity of language and culture should be the mantra of the state for ethnic harmony and unity.
Separate the state from religion,culture,language and ethnicity.
Nepotism at all levels should be avoided.
Interference of legislature in administration , law enforcement and judiciary should be avoided and should not be tolerated.
These branches of the govt should remain independent from legislature and executive presidency.Which in turn will lead to good governance.
Meaningful empowerment of all citizens even at grass root levels(village level) to an extend that they can manage their own day to day affairs and solve their own problems without interference from provincial and central govt. This will lead to accountability.
A provincial government for each province with jurisdiction over land, taxation,education,health/social service and law enforcement.This will be symmetrical devolution of powers from central govt to all provinces.
An upper/second chamber of parliament with equal representation from each province to have checks and balances the powers of both the executive presidency,the central and state governments.
This should be the blue print for a constitutionally reformed, multiethnic, multicultural,mature and modern/NEW SL.
A state every citizen can be proud of,part of and claim to be their own unitary state.
Mass education and grassroot activism to explain the benefits of this virtues in all three languages should be undertaken by Govt and Non govt organizations.
As individuals and as society as a a whole, every one should strive for fundamental change in our thought precess ,activities and speech.
The policy makers among the citizens should refrain from empty rhetoric and start acting responsibly and in a statesman like manner what ever their party affiliations might be.That is bipartisanship.
The policy makers should stop listening to chauvinist and psycophants no matter which side of the ethnic divide they are on.
This is a goal worth fighting/striving for, in a peaceful and non violent way.
Having been to the conference, I have been extremely inspired by the potential of the young leaders and the potential of the impact of the conference upon future generations. The country is free from civil war, but these students experienced a truer and deeper sense of freedom. They experienced freedom from division and prejudice. At the end of this conference, every student truly believed that together they can make a Sri Lanka that sees all Sri Lankans as equals. I saw Tamils, Singalese, Muslims, and Burgers working together on teams. I saw these groups hugging, laughing, and crying together.
At the end of the conference, all the kids got up on stage at the conference auditorium, shouting , “Sri Lanka!” as one. President Prashan DeVisser initially led the cheer, but when he stopped a student from Jaffna took over, leading the entire assembly into chanting “Sri Lanka!”
In terms of all that had taken place during the conference, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Having been to the conference, I have a better sense of how affective and constructive the organization Sri Lanka Unites is to the nation. I have never heard of nor seen a program that is both extremely fun for kids while promoting peace so affectively. All nations can learn from a program like this.
Dear E Pluribus Unum, thank you for writing. It takes commitment and concern to comment on our current social status so that we could build a better tomorrow. I fully agree with most of the points you have noticed. The ultra urban-evangelical approach of this group has no basis for their claim and conduct except for possible funds they get from their US friends. De Visser’s father, (dr?) Rev Adrian De Visser was awarded a DeshaBandu title from the majesty few years ago.
Unfortunate these inorganic and planted evangelicals are so insensitive towards the social complexities, they prefer to carry on with the majoritarian hegemony
Now I wonder why Mr. P de Vissar who is a minority himself wants to sing Hosanna to Sinhala hegemony of the state. I doubt it is nothing but a political aspiration project of the Vissar family to equate him with Namal Rajapakse?
As for this guy Migara: I doubt whether s/he is neither Sinhala nor a Theravada Buddhist, because to be a Sinhalese and a Buddhist is to be rationale/intellectual and compassionate in the middle path not a blind /irrational racist.
I think it’s possible to critique the Sri Lanka Unites political agenda without imputing improper motives to the organisers or insulting their religious views. I put it down to an intellectual, political and moral laziness and indifference, and not a desire to collect more funds from other sources. I have discussed one or two of these issues with the organisers when they were thinking this idea through, and they seemed to b genuinely unaware of the complexity of the issues surrounding ethnic reconciliation and peace building. I don’t agree that it’s a problem of mala fides, it’s just a lack of reading, listening and of a willingness to comprehend.
*unwillingness to comprehend
aadhavan, ignorance is not an excuse
ignorance of the law is not a legitimate defense in court.
if these people want to engage in this activity they should educate themselves 1st
@rod fox:
Ignorance of the law is no defence – but ignorance of your neighbours’ feelings is not a crime.
It is not necessary to ascribe to malice what is adequately explained by incompetence (or ignorance).
It’s perfectly possible that well-meaning and sincere people from the Sinhala community have not realised how a Tamil might view the country the Sinhala community takes for granted – just as some Tamil zealots (especially in the Diaspora) fail to realise the revulsion the majority community (and many Tamils and outsiders) have for the terrorists who indiscriminately bombed innocent Tamil and Sinhalese civilians in Colombo.
But you’re right – if you want to build peace, you need to realise how differently your fellow countrymen see the same situation. And that can be a painful and slow process.
sure red fox, i’m not saying ignorance is an excuse. i think the organisers, or at least the president, quoted here as having said that freedom has arrived in sri lanka, is culpable of of gross racial insensitivity and hypocrisy, because insensitivity is what they’re trying to fight, i would imagine. my point however is that we miss how apathetic and insensitive colombo’s non-racist elite are, if we start saying that the organisers were just trying to make a quick buck, or are religious loons.
Dear E.Pluribis Unum, I wonder whether you were part of the conference. By reading through your article I know more than enough to guess you’re a part of the HIGHER SOCIETY critic. Before discrediting something you should analyze, cross check etc. It seems to me that your whole argument is based on the handbook and maybe one participants view.
Dear E Pluribis Unum, what do u think they should’ve done? I’ve read about what they were trying to do and I’ve personally met a few of the organizers. I think you have to commend the effort put by these young guys who could easily have directed their efforts to anything else that would get them more personal benefit. But they chose to do something about what they thought was a burning issue? I think you should provide more constructive criticism rather than just blatantly insulting them. If you think they are doing it wrong why don’t you try talking to them about it and try to explain to them rather than come on an open forum and insult them.
If you honestly care about reconciliation and you think they’ve got it wrong you should try and get them on the right track. These are a group of young guys who are trying to make a difference. They have the commitment and the will to act i don’t think they deserve to be singled out and insulted like this. If you think they’ve got it wrong tell them about it
Please do not undermine Sri Lanka Unites efforts as childsplay.
These are young men and women with university education who are trained to analyse the facts and contexts and develop appropriate interventions in line with their vision for peace. Furthermore, they are endowed with advise and guidance from their trustees who are prominent members of our
civil society.
“Concerned” seems to be concerned over the insults to Sri Lanka Unites rather than the insults by Sri Lanka Unites to an entire socially conscious community in Sri Lanka and around the world, when its president declared “freedom has finally made itself known”.
It is indeed sad that a budding peace movement and its trustees have abstained from responding to the concerns raised in the article so far.As a peace movement Sri Lanka Unites openness for engagement,correction and learning appears to be lacking. As a previous comment from Adahavan seems to confirm this view.
I do hope the Sri Lanka Unites will still view this article as a positive opportunity to explain their strategy to build peace in Sri Lanka and also address the pertinent issues raised by the article.
Public and provocative debate on peace issues in a respected citizens journal is healthy and should not be perceived as insulting. Involving a broader forums such as Groundviews will only sharpen analysis and shape views for the way forward to build peace.
Peace Monger,
Yo, yo, Peace Monger! I love your oxymoron. Many of them local people have lost faith in “civil society” ’cause them snarky dudes and dudettes in your little clique have dropped the “oxy” from their names.
God Bless!
well well well, this conference was not just a four day event. did any of you guys heard anything about their follow up projects? NO, I guess. Spend sometime doing that. Mr.Concerned, I agree with you. Why can’t you take the Presidents statement as a motivation and move forward, work on that?
Please watch the following videos and see a glimpse of the heart of the conference and work ahead. There seems to be much more to SLU and the conference than bits and pieces picked up from a hand book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3_iEwdgy4s
I’m quite surprised to the fact that a dependable and “sophisticated” forum such as groundviews would allow itself to become corroded with such ill-informed and poorly estimated sources such as this. This is the sort of journalism/reporting that would do very well in a trashy, albeit false, tabloid type publication…I didn’t think that was the direction that groundviews was aiming…? Well the simple fact is this: it is quite one thing for this ambiguous writer to “stand up for what is “right” and “true” and “just” with all his/her vigor and zeal and yet at the end of the day (s)he will still remain an ambiguous voice that is no doubt eventually drowned out by the actions of the men and women who actually care enough to put their names on the line for a cause such as this. So the guise of this writer is quite evident-although (s)he parades as one who deeply cares about the advancement of those disenfranchised members of Sri Lankan society it is quite easy for him (her) to accuse this organization of the same corruption and affiliation as the government but of course at the end of the day no one knows your name and no one knows where you live as opposed to those like Prashan De Visser who have made themselves transparent and available for the cause of peace and reconciliation-an act that is obviously too transcendent for a person like this writer to fathom.
Well, enough with simple character flaws. Perhaps I should address the points so astutely as the writer purportedly did. First, again as it is at one’s detached advantage to critique those districts that were represented at the conference, of course it is not enough that only Jaffna was represented and not the neighboring districts of Killinochchi and Mallaitthivu, just of course that is one’s job to nitpick every minor detail as to how this organization is imperfect after all that is an integral part of SLU’s mission statement: “to be perfect, and on our first shot.”
Secondly and thirdly, to outline all the wrong-doings of the government and “atrocities,” etc would be just a grand decision for an organization wishing to operate WITHIN the boundaries of it’s nation and alongside it’s albeit flawed government institutions! Of course, what a way to build rapport with leaders and institutions while trying to gain notoriety as a legitimate organization. The simple fact is that when you are a group that is advocating for peace and reconciliation it would be counterintuitive to address, let alone suggest, a separate state as that would be, especially at this point, another centrifugal force designed to keep a nation’s already divided people further apart.
Fourthly, yes discriminatory structures and gross insensitivities are extremely pressing to address. . . for any social justice or humanitarian type organization with these issues as their central focus. This organization (SLU) is not saying to forget the past, no need to dive into our history and lets just move into the future, no need for a truth and reconciliation commission (like the president was quoted in a recent publication), it is saying just the opposite but it is not going to go about that by having some one get on stage and monger about how we need serious and swift structural/institutional reform. (We can leave that to the brave policy-maker who wrote this initial “critique).
Fifthly, as a proponent of equity it is fascinating that this writer should see fit to point out that it is extremely poor judgement to have so many staff members from the Colombo area. . .should the organization then exclude citizens from Colombo the right to participation or rather should it impose a quota on the number of staff members aloud from Colombo?. . .just curious. At the very least this point is comical as the writer no doubt hails from Colombo. Again, now SLU can not only be for peace and reconciliation they have to strive to eradicate the “class/social gaps” of society. Neither here nor there, SLU IS NOT PURPORTING TO BE THAT!
Sixthly and Seventhly, “the uncle nephew party” seriously? Is this the most original quip that you can come up with? SLU is a non-partisan organization so an allusion to political families ties for advancement is extremely incongruent with anything SLU is trying to say or accomplish. Again, would it be better and more wise to exclude the advice and wisdom of accomplished men and women because we are related to them?…fascinating logic…honestly. And what are the staff members trying to accomplish or how are they trying to advance themselves by electing their family to be a part of the board….because they too strive to be board members one day?? Interesting. This writer is hardly qualified to make such sweeping estimations as to what “a child imprisoned in the north would say” at the very best this is an extremely callous re-creation.
Eighthly and finally, well done ambiguous writer! You have managed to advocate for peace and reconciliation by tearing down a organization that actually stands for peace and reconciliation. This is surely the ticket! To use divisive and horribly unoriginal rhetoric to bolster one’s own personal gain. As a participant of the conference and an advocate for SLU I would pride myself in being part of the solution not part of the problem-as the writer of this piece should undoubtedly pride himself. I will not demand an apology because there is no damage that this measly article could have caused this growing organization but I will pose a few more questions: what is the name of your organization for justice, peace and “rights”? What even is your name? What have you produced, qualitatively and substantively, to move towards the common good? The proof is in the pudding for SLU as they have worked publicly and transparently for a very clear cause, whereas you have remained ambiguous and thus, I suppose, so too will your legacy.
Yes, Migara you are right. When staying in Germany or France you need to learn German or French if we seek a job meeting with own qualifications. But the matter in Srilanka is bit different. Germany´s turks and France´s north african minorities have got the same problems most comparablly to that of our minority folks in srilnaka. These communities had not have the chance to learn the majority langauge during their schooling. So atleast they need to have learnt better English so that they can find a job within srilanka. If you see it among the university undergraduate at Pera or Colombo, there you will get to know how many of them are good at English. Our education system that we have been having for that long should be reformed to a manner these folks could be provided with language proficiencies that the job market in sl expect. With other points u ve given there I can agree with.
Dear Prashan
Even through I object to the tone of his article I believe E Pluribus Unum has a point. After all, this entire person who is obviously either an American or is an America-phile (for he uses the motto on the US National seal which means “Out of many one”) likely believes in the Bush doctrine of confrontational diplomacy.
Nevertheless, don’t let his lack of tact distract you from the modicum of truth in his message.
I for one, am extremely grateful to the initiative you and your friends have taken. Furthermore, with regards to your statement “After 25 years, terror, war, and violence have lost their grip, and freedom has finally made itself known” yes this freedom with all its problems is still freedom from the violence that haunted us every day. Whatever Mr./Ms. Unit has to say (yes Unum means Unit in Latin) NOW THOUSANNDS OF YOUNG MEN ARE NOT BEING MASSACARRED ON THE BATTLE FIELD, PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING BOMBED INTO SMITHEREENS!!
I would love to hear Mr./Ms. Unit explain how war is better than no war!!!
Correction: War has finally made itself unknown
You cannot bring unity just by shouting “Sri Lanka”. The Tamil children will never forget the aerial bombardment which killed their loved ones. Not one day or two days. They were on the run for more than two years. Still they are being kept behind barbed wire and you expect them to foget everything? The tamils have been subjected to all kinds of atrocities since 1956. LTTE is the result of the governments inaction to the Tamil grieviences.
These organisers are doing this for their own glory. I think they don’t even know the history of the conflict.
If the “Sri Lanka unites” organisers are sincere, they should have acted then, at least they should have stopped the civilian killings!!! At least they should get on to the street and demand justice for the Tamil civilians.
Even now after nearly 8month after the end of the war there is no freedom for those children. They are still seperated from the parents.
Those Tamil children who joine the SLU does not represent the average Tamil chldren. They must be from the previledged family. What is the point in learning the sinhalese language? even if you know the language, the Tamil children will not be in the equal footing with the sinhalese children when they go for a job. They should revert back to English as the business language. What business can you do with sinhalese outside Sri Lanka?
hi!
Dear E Pluribus Unum
In your speech you very beautifully pointed out the many flaws with Sri Lanka Unites as well as its efforts, ill informed as they were, what steps have you yourself taken towards solving this issue first with regards to the supposed flaws of this organization which you quite brilliantly have identified by studying the guidebook and only that?,
have you submitted any sought of written document to SLU on how to correct these supposed flaws or have you only simply highlighted these flaws?
are you one of those people who sit in their comfy little leather chairs and just say, “machang this is what we should do! “but then let your idea get blown away by the winds of status quo and continue sitting down or are you one of those people who gets up off your chair and says, “machang this is what we should do! and actually does it “?
secondly what steps have you taken towards reconcilliation itself?
thirdly have you even considered sponsoring a family or a child for that matter from these IDP camps urself?? or have you sat back down on your leather chair and said “the government should do this”,” they shouldnt have done this”, “SLU has got it all wrong!”
sir/madam if the problems you have so brilliantly identified have to be addressed all im asking is what steps have you taken to address them?
im 17 years old,
im a tamil living in colombo,
i attended the SLU future leaders conference season 2
i am not saying that everything at SLU is right
i am not saying that everything in SLU is wrong
im not asking you to even reply to the questions i have asked
all im asking you is to just for a minute to consider what i have said here and ask yourself these questions
Mr/Mrs E Pluribus Unum….be the change you want to see in Sri Lanka, or atleast
attempt to assist those who are trying.
thank you
Dear mark S H
Thank you for providing your perspective. I would like to ask your opinion as to what are the main problems facing Sri Lanka (or rather, its peoples) and what you think should be done. We can turn this thread in a more constructive direction.