Voices for peace and development as Sri Lanka marks another independence day

Sunil Wijesiri

By Surya Vishwa

 Today Sri Lanka celebrates 75 years of freeing itself from the yokes of colonial rule. This year’s anniversary is commemorated amidst acute hardship for the citizens of Sri Lanka; the owners of this country and those that can resurrect this nation with commitment, perseverance and hard work. 

Anyone who is closely observing the entrepreneurial scene, especially in the districts will see that following the import restriction that there are hundreds of local small-scale products being created – ranging from shampoos to food items, these are look-alikes of the imported items that were filling up the shelves of supermarkets. 

There are also many initiatives being carried out by expatriate Sri Lankans to enable the wellbeing of the people of their motherland. Fundamental to our way forward as a country is our mindset. Each individual mindset is linked to the making of a national mindset – an individual conscience filled with the riches of positivity and will power to create a sustainable economy for himself, family and the larger community will influence a snowball impact in others to create similar ventures.

Currently Sri Lankan policy makers are awaiting an IMF bailout but while we can debate whether dependence on debt to get rid of debt is a good thing or not, there is the definitive truth that we cannot come out of our current situation on a permanent debt ridden mental framework.

We have to think. We have to create. We have to act. We have to above all understand that our education system is creating only job takers and thereby we have to set in place an education system of creating job givers.

Creating entrepreneurship alone will not solve our problems if it is not interspersed with building up people whose minds are geared towards a healthy way of life. A healthy way of life encompasses both physical and mental health. 

Sri Lanka saw serious challenges to physical health during the past three years and this hurdle is still not over as globally the COVID-19 pandemic still rages. As a nation we remain sitting on a goldmine with regard to the indigenous medical legacy of the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims of this country. 

The pandemic saw large numbers of these traditional physicians of Sinhala wedakama, Siddha and Unani traditions coming forward to research, understand and create vaccine alternatives to boosting immunity naturally. We have to create space for them to speak of their experiences as the pandemic is far from over globally and we should not be caught unaware again.

With regard to the health of the mind, we saw recently how a youth murdered another by slitting his throat recently. This is synonymous with the kind of violence that is found within the university system normalised through ragging which, whether violent or not, have underlays of jealousy, envy, intolerance and anger. These are attributes that do not match a nation that is described as Buddhist. 

As a country which has seen many ethnic based riots from the 1950s onwards, seen the burning of a national library in Jaffna, witnessed untold misery in the 1983 ethnic riots and the subsequent 30-year-old civil war and the aftermath of different aspects of violence and intrigue, common sense would tell us that all of us would need to take time off to heal. 

We need to create a space in our hearts where we attempt to be the change of peace within ourselves in order to heal our fractured country. On this independence day let us remember correctly that the ancient war between king Dutugamunu and Elara cannot be equated to a war with fellow Tamil citizens because as any historian would tell us, Elara, although a just king, was a Chola invader and not a Sri Lankan.

We now feature a cross section of comments gathered on what is needed for Sri Lanka to create a nation befitting its heritage; a nation that had built a world renowned hydraulic civilisation and had monarchy who were committed to the wellbeing of the people.

Sunil Wijesiri, of the Shantha Fashion Feet shop in Malwatta Road, Fort

“I have been on this street for the past 10 years. This street has other sales outlets like this. In this shop there are shoes and sandals. Yes, the people are hard hit and my sales have dropped but I cannot say drastically. After the COVID pandemic and  the economic crisis, like all my fellow tradesmen, I cut costs and we somehow manage. We know the people are seriously affected and we do not overprice.

“I also believe that this may be a time for us to think anew and do business differently. Whenever I can I read about these things or talk to people who come to my shop as to what I could change positively.

“There are Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Muslims down this street selling stuff. Technically we are competitors – there are several shops that sell shoes – but we also look out for each other. We want each other to do well. When one of us has to go on an urgent errand or family function we hand over our shop to a neighbouring shop owner to run.

In the afternoon most of us gather together and we eat in one big savannah. We put all the meals we have got from home on that plate and we eat together.

“If there is something I detest it is racism. Recently I had a wonderful experience of making friends on social media with a young scholar from Jaffna who could not talk in Sinhala. I cannot talk in Tamil and neither my writing or vocal English is great but somehow, we communicated. 

“He wanted me to collect a certificate from one of the departments of a national university in Colombo where he had done an academic course. 

I closed my shop for half a day and did this for him and went to Jaffna and gave it to him. 

“Racism and communalism cannot make a person happy. I was very happy that day going to a big university and helping my new friend. In Jaffna I was treated so well. I believe we can celebrate this independence day with the intention of never allowing communalism to raise its head in this country.”

Ruhunu University Vice Chancellor Prof. Sujeewa Amarasena

“I believe violence has to be fully eradicated from the university culture of Sri Lanka. As the Vice Chancellor of the Ruhunu University I have contributed to this for a zero ragging policy within my university and I am part of endeavours to transform the education system of the country. 

“Prosperity, peace and wellbeing  is indeed a mindset and education should have the purpose of building up such mindsets. The university system can do a lot for building up national peace but for national peace to reign, individual peace must be obtained.”

Easter Attack Survivors Project (EASP) Co-Founder Amina Muhsin

“I am 27-years-old and an artist. I was just an ordinary youth during the terrorist attack on Easter in 2019. It was the most shocking and traumatic incident I have ever faced in my life. I could not be just another bystander youth anymore. 

“I decided to go and talk to the survivors – Catholics and Christians. I was told by many that this was not possible and that the Christians were so traumatised that they could even attack me. But I gathered together some like-minded youth and we started what is now known as the Easter Attack Survivors Project (EASP). 

“We have recorded many narrations from the survivors. We have made so many videos. 

I am so glad that I made the decision that day to go and talk to these fellow citizens who have lived together with us for so long. We heard stories of utmost sorrow; we spoke to sole survivors of families who never returned from church. 

“What we found out was that these people did not see ordinary Muslims as the enemy because they realised that the teachings of Islam do not preach such acts. Hence, we need more civilians to be peacebuilders and to connect with each other. We are now working with Muslims on creating the correct understanding of what the religion of Islam stands for.”

Note: The comments of Aamina Muhsin were obtained from the coverage of the panel discussion themed Enhancing social relations, equality, diversity, and inclusion for sustainability, held at the Vavuniya university last month as part of an academic conference on harmony and reconciliation.

Panel for Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka Chairman Prof. Kamal Waleboda. Prof. Waleboda is a Professor (Retd.) of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Colombo

“This is a time for people to re-think their commitment to the country. We should do more than just talk about our heritage. Heritage consists of both tangible and intangible factors and encompasses all forms of knowledge and traditions that were part of our national consciousness throughout our civilisation. 

“Heritage can exist with modernity and should complement science and technology. Whether in policy making or business or arts or aspects such as peacebuilding we can use this knowledge. It is very important that we do not cultivate a defeatist mentality as we approach yet another year. Yes, we have a financial crisis and we have to surmount it.  

“We have to take upon ourselves to teach our younger generation about ancient policies so that they can learn something from it and re-enact the spirit of perseverance in working for the development of the country. We must remember that we the people constitute the country.”

Moratuwa University Senior Lecturer in mineral engineering L.P.S. Rohith

“We should incorporate into national curricula of school and university children the basic knowledge about the earth resources of the country. Speaking on the subject of minerals, we can do a lot to create awareness on how value addition of mineral based small and medium entrepreneurship, such as arts and crafts could change the entire economy of villages and the regions. 

“There is a shop in front of the Moratuwa University that sells lampshades decorated with mineral waste dust and the lowest price is about $ 200 or so and there are many buyers who place orders for international consumption. We have to think anew. If large scale investment is a problem, we have to think of small scale innovation that could be done with very little capital. This country has not touted adequately of its mineral resources.”