Press Release - Opening of the first Reconciliation Centre in Mulliyawalai, Mullaitivu

31^st January, 2013 – Mulliyawalai – 

The first ever Reconciliation Centre at Mullaitivu was declared open by Alistair Burt MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, United Kingdom, last month. 

It is the realization of a four year dream of ‘Sri Lanka UNITES’ to increase both academic and employment opportunities for the youth in Mullaitivu  – an area crippled as a result of the 30 year war.

The Center will be an educational hub providing opportunities to study recognized courses in Information Technology, English and Business Entrepreneurial skills. For the first time in Mullaitivu a center comprising of a well equipped library and a computer lab with internet facilities will also be available.  

“Sri Lanka UNITES is a youth movement that is committed to change; we are committed to be part of the solution. We may not have all of the answers but we are trying to be part of the solution, and that is how the vision for this reconciliation centre came in to being” said Prashan De Visser, President of the movement.

The Movement has been active since 2009.  Student leaders of different ethnicities and religions, from all 25 districts of the island have been brought together in annual conferences. These young leaders are working collectively to build a better future based on equality and meritocracy. 

 “How can we as fellow Sri Lankans, be cozy in our cities, have a very good education and ignore our very own brothers and sisters here in Mullaitivu?” De Visser added.

Speaking at the opening Alistair Burt said that “Reconciliation does not start top-down, it doesn't start with a stroke of a pen or someone writing a law; it starts in the heart and that's why it’s so important - because you can make it happen.

You will find lots of people who will find reasons to divide and say why division is the better way . . . but the important thing is that you are the future.”

He added that it is the youth with these opportunities and experiences who will build a prosperous future for the country.

Students who followed a three week Intensive English Programme (IEP) at the Reconciliation Centre were awarded with certificates.  Three of the students spoke during the Opening Ceremony showcasing their English speaking ability.

The event concluded with a cultural performance by students of Vidyananda College, Mullaitivu. 

The Mullaitivu Reconciliation Center will be used as a model to create similar Centres across the island, with the target of having at least one in every district.

The need for Civil Action against the Harassment of Women – The SHOW You Care initiative

In 1931, Sri Lanka was one of the first among all Asian countries to give women equal voting rights, setting a precedent for equal and fair treatment of women. In 1960, Sri Lanka gave the world its first ever female Prime Minister in the person of Sirimavo Bandaranaike. But since then, through the past decades leading to the present, the way we treat the women in our society has not progressed. In fact it has regressed to such a level that in November 2011, a survey conducted by Legal Aid Commission (LAC) concluded that more than 70% of women between the ages of 15 and 45 are harassed in public transport. If such is the level of mistreatment in public, one can only imagine how much worse it could be behind closed doors.

How did we go from being exemplary in our empowering of women into a nation and society where women cannot leave the house after dark, or travel in buses without being groped or feeling violated? The problem here is clear. We are not constitutionally or legally against women. Our constitution allows equal rights and our laws offer fair treatment to women. In fact, we have laws that criminalize harassment of women as an offence punishable by 5 years in prison. So this is not a problem, where we stand back and let the politicians and policy makers handle it. No. This is a problem which can only be resolved by public action and proper law enforcement.

Sri Lanka Unites, as a youth movement for hope and reconciliation has a mandate, which is clearly outlined in its vision statement - "to unite the youth of all ethnic and religious groups across Sri Lanka in a movement that promotes reconciliation, creating a peaceful and prosperous nation for future generations”. In line with this vision, Sri Lanka Unites has organized many events in the past such as Future Leaders’ Conference, and continues to do so.

In mid 2012 a conversation started amongst the core team of SLU about the harassment women face in Sri Lanka. Though initially started as a conversation, within a matter of few weeks it evolved into a campaign against harassment of women in public places. Dubbed as “SHOW You Care” (SHOW=Stop Harassment Of Women), this campaign soon took shape as a large scale awareness effort with over 300 students and volunteers boarding buses from the 25^th to the 29^th of June, speaking against acts of harassment, emphasizing the law that exists against it, pasting stickers that created awareness and distributing awareness cards amongst the women in the bus. As a result nearly 35,000 commuters were reached with the message in 1,228 buses in all main bus routes within Colombo.

The response from the people who witnessed this campaign was positive and encouraging. It was a very unique effort, and many commended it because it is very rarely that you see youth so passionately standing up against harassment. The women in the buses felt empowered by the mere fact that there were at least some who would stand up and speak on their behalf, while the men in the bus felt challenged to do the same. Even many of the bus drivers and conductors who had witnessed acts of harassment and felt powerless to do anything about it, welcomed this effort. In fact, some were even surprised to know that there were in fact, laws against the harassment of women in public, and felt empowered by that knowledge.

And now, plans are being drawn at Sri Lanka Unites to make the campaign into a full-fletched island-wide initiative to rid Sri Lanka of the evil of harassment completely.  But can a movement like Sri Lanka Unites, which is after all a civil movement, really put an end to harassment? Can it even dare to dream of doing it, for after all it is a pretty big issue? These are some questions that arise in response to the rather bold initiative of Sri Lanka Unites. And it is only right that such questions arise, for Sri Lanka Unites, despite its island-wide network of nearly 100 schools, cannot really put an end to harassment all on its own. This is why SHOW You Care is an initiative, just a beginning to something greater.  People coming together and joining forces against this issue is the only way change is possible. Sri Lanka Unites simply plays the role of middleman in uniting the powerful potential of people to make change, and resonating that change throughout the island.

In line with this vision, Sri Lanka Unites also hosted an event dubbed “SHOWDOWN” on the 20^th of October, 2012 in order to bring together those interested in bringing this issue to an end, to pledge to continue its efforts in eliminating harassment from Sri Lanka and to reaffirm this commitment by passing on the baton to the Sri Lanka Unites chapters of Kandy to carry out a similar campaign. This was the beginning of an island-wide effort in ending harassment, with special focus on harassment in public spaces.

On the 30^th of November, 2012 the Legal Aid Commission Chairman S. S. Wijeratne made the revelation that Sri Lanka tops the South Asian region on women being sexual harassed in public transport. This revelation only emphasizes the need for an organic effort like SHOW You Care. This year the SHOW You Care team plans on carrying out 3 more bus campaigns, and to also partner with other organic efforts in combating the menace of harassment. Another plan of the team is to compile some feasible policy suggestions and lobby for proper implementation of the already prevailing laws against the harassment of women.

The harassment of women is an issue that cries for attention, and many just turn a blind eye to it. Some even go so far as to defend the harasser, claiming that it is the fault of the woman for provoking the deed. But with properly focused civil action and proper implementation of the law, mindsets can be changed and this issue can be brought to bay and completely purged from society. It is the moral duty and civil responsibility of everyone to protect the rights of others; by doing so you reaffirm your own rights too. So let’s unite in putting an end to harassment, and let’s make Sri Lanka a safe place for women - for OUR women.

Road Trip 2012- Lessons in Leadership

The smiling faces of the girls of Methodist College, Trincomalee greet us on our arrival for our first ever workshop at their school. They are a school that hasn't been a part of our network before this, and we don't know what to expect as we introduce them to the concept of Sri Lanka Unites and wonder how they will react to it.

However, as it turns out, any worries we might have had are immediately dissolved. The girls of Methodist College Trincolmalee are so enthusiastic and it is truly amazing ti see how eagerly they take up the activities we give them, determined to learn in whatever way they can. They seem thoroughly  moved (as well as entertained) when fellow members of the Dream Team from different parts of Sri Lanka speak to them in their mother tongue.
Their genuine enthusiasm inspires us all, and when they promise us that they will definitely join the Sri Lanka Unites network as a school, and support us in our journey towards reconciliation, we know their promise is sincere. 

With the end of the Trincomalee workshop, we set out on our journey to Jaffna, which brings back fond memories for most of us on the Dream Team. During the bus ride, we work in groups that we were assigned in the morning, and discuss the next lesson on our syllabus- Mandela's seven principles of leadership. As people begin sharing their reflections on these principles, people begin to realise principles of leadership that they weren't aware of before.  Akila from Matara says that when he learned of Mandela's principle of  leading through whatever obstacle, he began to see how he could apply it to his own life, and is confident that he will be able to recall it in the future. As much as the day's thought provoking activities leave us inspired and empowered, by the end of the day we feel quite exhausted. And yet, as we take to our beds in preparation for Day 7, we feel nothing but excitement and anticipation for the road ahead..

Synopsis of some Interviews we had on the School Relations Tour 2011

I’m  Kalingu Liyana Pathirage from Monaragala. I just finished my A/L’s last August and I’m waiting for my results. I represented my school at FLC Season 2 (2010) which was how I got involved with SLU.

My dream is to be an Engineer one day. But I love working with people. I got a scholarship to Matara Technical College last year to study Draftsman Course. Since then I’ve been drawing landscapes. I hope to show the beauty of this Island to the world.

Sri Lanka Unites is a role model to all Sri Lankans who are still refusing to let go of the past. It is the microcosm of the “Sri Lanka” I want to see. Monaragala is a predominantly Sinhala Buddhist district. I had little or no interaction with anyone from a different background. Now, after participating in FLC, I have friends from Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Jaffna and many other places. I’m still in touch with most. It was a dream  come true for me.

My parents are very supportive. My mother is the vice principal of our school, and she too came for the conference. I’m not saying this is the case with everyone in Monaragala, but I think we can win them over in due time.

As the head prefect of the school I did my best to ensure that the message of reconciliation was spread throughout the school. I hope to continue this journey in the following years.

I am H. M. M. Aslam from Zahira College, Ampara. I’m 17 years old, and study in the commerce stream. I was a participant in FLC-3 (2011). Our school has been part of the SLU network since 2009. I was already an active member in our school chapter when I got picked to attend the Conference.

I ambition is to work in the marketing field. It is a profession where you get to meet people from all walks of life. I am personally committed to helping poor communities. I want to work for them in future. It’s very hard to bear when you see youth from poor families leave their parents in pursuit of better wages. Some of these parents are very elderly and find it very difficult to survive without their children. I’ve seen some elderly parents crawl to toilets due to their inability to walk.

Sri Lanka Unites is breaking the “us against them” type thinking. That is great. I’m also truly appreciative of the fact that Sri Lanka Unites is continuously creating opportunities for people to not just meet once, but to continue on the relationships formed. I think this is essential because it takes time to completely come out of the “us against them” thinking. I have friends from diverse backgrounds. FLC was a great learning curve in my life. I was able to get new insights on many things.

The Ampara community is highly conservative. Women find it very difficult to move around and do social work. I see these as barriers in our community. I feel that Islam beliefs are wrongly interpreted nowadays, and that has to change. But there are people here who are open to new ideas.

We have a new set of guys running the SLU club in our school now. We have whole year ahead of us I can’t wait to see what we can achieve.

First Update

This blog post comes quite late, but I will try to summarise all the activities of the past 3 days since we embarked on this journey. This week, being a very busy week for all the schools in Colombo, with elections around the corner, Shakespeare drama competitions and Teachers' Day celebration, worked to our disadvantage. However, despite this setback we managed to conduct assemblies at Wesley College, Elizabeth Moir International and Royal College.

Today, we had the workshop for the Colombo district at the Royal College Skill Center, with a participating crowd of around 75 students from all over the district. Musaeus College and St. Joseph's College were introduced to SLU for the first time and they are already working on starting SLU Chapters in their own schools.

The past three days also included a enlightening discussion with Amb. Jayantha Dhanapala on his views on Reconciliation and Justice, and a interesting session with Sanjana Hattotuwa, on serving Social Justice by utilizing telecommunication and media.
Further, we also had a brainstorming session on injustices around us, and what we as the youth of this nation can do about it. More of this to come in our future posts...