16th November 1997

Let's drown the beat of communal politics

It has taken Sri Lanka 50 long years to awaken to the reality of the ethnic conflict, to realize the need to end a long standing war. There is today a sense of urgency that the problem of uniting the majority Sinhala community and other minority communities, needs to be resolved. Probably in one of the rare occasions, the two major political parties have shown signs of working together with minority parties to find away to bring peace. In other words a comprehensive solution to the ethnic conflict.

There are many who share passionate views on the subject. In the past decade there has been an upsurge of literature. Artists have made it their theme and politicians have highlighted the problem many a time -in a bit to gain power.

By Farah Mihlar

Mayor of Colombo Karu Jayasuriya hardly fits into these categories, but in an interview with The Sunday Times he made it clear that when he is not working on plans to clear garbage and unblock local roads, he spends considerable time trying to bridge the great divide that separates the main ethnic communities here.

As Mayor of Colombo he says the capital city is the best example of how all communities can live together. It is probably also one of the few cities where the Sinhalese are not a majority. At present 45% of residents in Colombo are Sinhalese, while the other 55% constitute minority communities. He does admit that there are now areas within Colombo that show signs of racial segregation. However this he says is mostly for sentimental reasons.

Colombo is hardly a 'traditional homeland' to anyone, it is a clear example of how anyone can live anywhere, he says.

Mr. Jayasuriya explains that race consciousness now prevalent in our society, is something new. For someone who has lived through the pre-independent and post-independent period, he muses: "until the 50's there was never a talk of race or religion, every one belonged to Ceylon". Educated at Ananda College (which despite being recognized as a Sinhala Buddhist school at the time 30% of the students belonged to minority communities.)

He considers the late 50's as the turning point when not only communal politics emerged, but aspects like a disciplined administration, independent police and judiciary, efficient public service and a blooming economy began to decay. "The politicizing of society started in the 50's. With that the discipline of the country started breaking down," he says.

During the years this has built up and has been aggregated not by the people but the politicians, who in his words played the drum beat of communal politics.

Sri Lankan people as a whole aren't racists, he says. The people have always wanted to live in harmony and incidents like the '83 riots, he attributes to a handful of people. The majority did not approve of it, he says.

His emphasis on the post 50's is questionable. One may ask, when Sri Lanka's history provides plenty of examples of Sinhala leaders fighting Tamil invaders, what is so modern about the conflict? The circumstances were different, he says. Then it was an invasion of kingdoms.

"Before the local government elections I visited many houses belonging to different communities. All they wanted was to live in peace and have a clean and efficient administration."

The Colombo Municipality is presently carrying out many programmes to encompass this view.

A standing committee titled "Community development and social cultural integration" has been appointed to look into these views. There is an official committee of municipal councillors led by a former diplomat Mr. Mahendra and an advisory committee of non council members led by Brig. S.D.N. Hapugalle. The roles of the committee include advising the mayor on community development projects that could be implemented with a view to social integration and to study regional and international development and make recommendations as to how these could be used for social cultural programmes in the city. The committee has already started several activities. They organize religious celebrations ensuring the participation of all communities. Recently they celebrated Meelad-un-Nabi, though culturally associated with Muslims, the event recorded a participation of over 1000 people from all communities.

The ethnic conflict however cannot be resolved merely through such programmes. The mayor who is also a senior official of the United National Party, was cautious to express his views on the war or the devolution proposals, refusing to comment on either. However, he states that a resolution to the ethnic conflict can only be sought by reaching a consensus between all the critical players who include the L.T.T.E., Buddhist clergy, academics, professionals and the business community. "If those expressing views contrary to the government views are treated in a negative manner - then there is no dialogue," he says.

There is also a process of ethnic integration that needs to be inculcated. This he says must start with the education system. Children must identify themselves as Sri Lankans and not according to their race.

More important, he says "if the ethnic conflict is to be resolved, confidence should be built between all communities and this should start from the top. "Trust between all communities must be established."

A step forward

Introductory Remarks

The Mayor of Co lombo has consid ered Community Development and Socio-Cultural Integration an important aspect of his Development programme for the city of Colombo. It is an equally important initiative for maintenance of law and order. Consequently he has appointed an Advisory Committee on Community Development and Socio Cultural Integration.

For far too, long Sri Lanka's multi racial character has been overlooked. The records of scholars in this regard has been disappointing. Increasingly we have witnessed that politics in Sri Lanka has moved towards Race and Religion. Thereby worsening the efforts towards socio cultural integration. Lines are being drawn by political parties to carve out their own empires. They do not realize the long term disasters of such short term thinking.

To move ahead, we should:-

1. Establish a firm alliance to persuade political elite and mass public opinion on the urgent need for socio cultural integration.

2. Make people realize that equal opportunity accompanied by cultural diversity in an atmosphere of mutual tolerance is a pre requisite for development.

3. Highlight what could be achieved through socio cultural integration and what chaos will occur without "oneness" (e. g. USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand).

4. Ensure that social integration is not a fantasy in the minds of interested parties.

5. Conduct a wide ranging campaign to influence elite political opinion through semi-orchestrated publications of sympathetic newspaper articles and Radio and TV (Copikade, Janahanda) broadcasts highlighting need for socio cultural integration.

6. Depoliticize communal issues - if need be by law.

7. Implement an equal opportunity programme. Expedite teaching English as a link language.

8. Give impetus to grassroot initiatives on need for harmony by establishing a "community relations commission" as in UK, to coordinate local effforts of voluntary community relations organizations. This will avoid bitter conflicts at local level.

9. Never be afraid to tackle something which people are worried about. We should lobby strongly and persistently without being secretive.

10. Clearly spell out the policy goals of integration.

This brief is for discussion by the Mayor's Advisory committee on Community Development and Socio Cultural Integration. If our efforts for socio cultural integration succeed the prize will be a 21st century in which communal politics will not have a place and powerful individuals are no longer able to murder, torture and blackmail with impunity. It will mean peace, harmony and progress without the likes of an Idi-Amin or Pol Pot.

Continue to Plus page 12 * Muslim factor in the ethnic tangle

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