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The role of the arts and media in conflict resolution

by W T J S Kaviratne, Ambalangoda special correspondent

Artistes, writers and media persons of North, East joined their counterparts in the deep South recently at the St. Aloysius College, Galle to discuss on how to promote, peace, ethnic harmony and reconciliation among the communities.

Seeking devices of conflict resolution while promoting reconciliation peace and ethnic harmony is a social obligation which is not confined only to politicians as some mistakenly believe.

Having realised the gravity of devastation of two decades of ethnic war, and in order to rectify the past mistakes caused mostly by the politicians, several civil society organisations had come to build a unified Sri Lanka.

Before and after all human conflicts experienced throughout the world, writers, artistes and media persons had played an indispensable role in unifying the disintegrated societies.

In a pluralistic society found in Sri Lanka which is comprised of diverse ethnic, religious and cultural traditions, unity in diversity could successfully be achieved if writers, artistes and media persons pay much attention on the national issue of Sri Lanka.

All Writers, Artistes and Media Persons of International recognition were successful in conveying a universal message through their Creations of Art which was relevant to humanity.

In addition to linking communities together they could expose the social injustice and human right violations through Work of Art.

As far back as 1965, 'Centre for Performing Arts' (CPA) launched numerous programmes linking North-East and South of Sri Lanka under the able guidance of its Director Reverend Father N. M. Saveri.

Many dramas depicting 'Unity in Diversity' and cast comprising young actors and actresses of all communities had been staged in many parts of Sri Lanka and even in Europe.

Centre for Performing Arts (CPA) had already launched several Conventions of Writers, Artistes and Media Persons representing all ethnic groups in the North-East and the City of Colombo.

The purpose of these Conventions was to form a Strong Network among the scattered Artistes, Writers and Media Persons of the whole of Sri Lanka, as a force for the propagation of reconciliation, conflict resolution, peace and ethnic harmony.

As a continuation of this novel strategy envisaged by CPA, for the first time in the history of CPA, a forum of writers, artistes and media persons representing North and East of Sri Lanka joined their counterparts of deep South recently at St. Aloysius College, Galle.

Galle District MP Venerable Baddegama Samitha Thera (PA) making the keynote address said that 'devolution of power' has proved to be the most effective form of governance, citing what he had observed during his fact finding mission to several countries in Europe, recently.

Referring to many political mistakes committed by the politicians in the past merely to be in power, he said post independent Sri Lanka was an 'arena of political gambling'. Consensus of all political parties was required in the resolution of national issues such as ethnic conflict found in Sri Lanka, he said.

Today, Artistes, Writers and Media Persons of the country, irrespective of their diverse ethnic identities and different political opinions had joined hands together at Galle devoid of suspicion and fear, he said.

Referring to an anti-peace demonstration launched jointly by JVP and a section of PA politicians, he said as a peace activist committed to achieve sustainable peace, even though he was a parliamentarian representing the Opposition, he would never go against the peace endeavour of the government. Artistes could not be partial and through the medium of Arts they could convey the message of universal harmony, he said.

Media should have to be used always for the benefit of the humanity and it was important for all forms of Media to promote social justice. 'My dream is to see a peaceful Sri Lanka where every citizen can live in peaceful coexistence', he said.

As a policy he said he was against any move violating peace whether it was in Iraq or in the North-East of Sri Lanka.

Qualities of tolerance of ethnic, religious and cultural diversities should be inculcated in the minds of all the communities living in Sri Lanka and this could be easily done by the writers, artistes and media persons, he said.

As a result of majoritarian governments and the political mistakes committed by communal minded politicians, marginalisation of minority communities occurred. As they could not safeguard their identity, they found that separatism was the only solution.

This separatism based on suspicion ended in an ethnic war lasting for two decades, he said.

"Swan is having the inborn ability to identify milk from water and in the same manner, Artistes and Media Persons should be able to select the correct path and guide the nation on achieving sustainable peace in the country," he said.

Referring to the Buddhist Philosophy and the Teachings of Lord Buddha, human beings were never classified ethnically. Fauna and Flora could be identified in accordance with their characteristics but in human beings no superiority was found in one community over the other, he said.

During the electioneering, many power hungry politicians tried in vain to ignite communalism fabricating numerous stories against the present Prime Minister, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, he said. Even though massive political propaganda campaign was launched against UNF stating that there was a secret pact with the LTTE, majority of peace loving people in the country elected the present government. Though he extended his cooperation towards the peace endeavour of the UNF government he was thoroughly against its economic policy, he said.

Ms Remy Herbert, Project Officer of Centre for Performing Arts (CPA), under Australian Youth Ambassador Programme referring to the Convention of Artistes and Writers held in Jaffna, said people were eagerly awaiting to enjoy dividends of lasting peace. People she met there had great expectations of peace and never dreamt of another war, she said. In order to convey the 'message of peace' and to promote reconciliation among communities through the work of Art CPA was planning to construct a network among the arts and literary communities throughout Sri Lanka, she said.

Premalatha Gunapala of CPA said, that the intention of CPA was to link the North-East with the South of Sri Lanka, through Performing Arts and Media. CPA believed, irrespective of party politics, artistes, writers and media persons could establish lasting peace, she said.

Over the years, CPA had launched programmes with the participation of Artists, Dramatists, Writers and Media Persons on this direction, she said.

The Coordinator of Ethnic Affairs of Southern Province United Media Association, Dharmasiri Ginige said consensus of opinions was crucial in the establishment of sustainable peace. In the resolution of ethnic issue, clinging to policies of political parties without reaching consensus would be harmful, he said. First and foremost a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the government and the opposition had to be signed, he further said.

A member of the Executive Committee of Southern Province Untied Media Association, representing Hambantota district, Bandula Manawadu said since gaining independence only two political parties could form governments and power revolved on these two major political parties on rotation.

Even the national media institutions were controlled by these governments in tune with their policies, he said. These media institutions supported the agendas of the politicians who were in power and this trend of media proved to be very injurious, he said.

Instead of paying attention to safeguard the rights of the minority communities and finding ways to alleviate poverty, media paid much attention to protect the government in power, he said. Media was identified as pro-government and anti-government, he said. Communal minded politicians used to misguide the people in the deep Souther and awareness programmes on the importance of reconciliation and peace should be launched in Hambantota district, he said.

Rules and regulations should be implemented banning audio-video cassettes which were having disgraceful music and songs against communities, he said.

In order to overcome language barrier, Tamil should be made compulsory subject in Sinhala medium schools and Sinhala should be made compulsory in Tamil medium schools, he said.

Tele Drama Art Director, Lal Harendranath said in producing tele dramas, utmost care should be taken not to include scenes which could do harm to the cultural and social norms of a community. Cooperation of the efficient dramatists and artistes should be obtained on this direction, he further said.

Whole Forum was divided into several groups and Action Plans suggested by each Group in Conflict Resolution were discussed.

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The North-East Muslim case

Devolution, federation, separation; these have never been Muslim proposals, demands, needs or requirements. These have been the Tamil community's proposals and demands from time to time based on their aspirations, needs or experiences; and, on the Sinhala community's responses to these. While the Muslim community wholeheartedly welcomed a consensual settlement of the ethnic issue, that community's one and only concern is that its own position enjoyed historically should not suffer degradation, not to speak of upgradation.

In this context political re-structuring of the Northern and Eastern Provinces under a federal arrangement must be so designed as to constitutionally ensure equally the rights of all the three communities: political, security (personal and property), identity, access to land, water, jobs, education entitlements, should be all spelt out unequivocally.

In order to satisfy such Muslim needs three alternative proposals have emerged from time to time:

The first is that the Northern and Eastern Provinces be considered as two distinct and separate federal units.

This has the greatest chance of success both in the short and long terms -

(a) the Eastern Province is the only province in the country with an ethnic composition of almost equal proportion. Any two communities together will constitute a two-thirds majority.

(b) the vast majority of the inhabitants of the province are farmers, and a majority of them are tenant and small-scale farmers whose holdings are intertwined demanding co-operation among themselves.

(c) there is no finite and plausible ethnic contiguity in the province.

(d) the Tamils of the Eastern Province are of a different social stock than those of the North: until the LTTE's gun power overtook the province in the last part of the 1980s the Tamil population of the East always had a fear of 'Jaffna hegemony'.

(e) the chances of success at the peace talks through consensus among the three communities will increase manifold.

The second alternative is for the North and the East be formally in one federal unit but with inbuilt mechanisms to ensure the rights, privileges and duties of each one of the three communities.

This has also a reasonable chance of success provided:

(a) the centre's powers to intervene in cases of discrimination are constitutionally ensured.

(b) regiments of the Army and other law enforcement agencies are established and be truly representative of the three communities.

(c) the rights of each community be defined and written into the constitution. As far as the Muslims are concerned the bases for these are in documents (tabled in Parliament); these were signed in India in April 1988 by the representatives of the LTTE and of the Muslims, and in another document issued to the Muslim representatives by the leaders of the TULF. This was when President J. R. Jayewardene asked the Muslims to negotiate their plight not with him but with the Tamil leaders who at the time were in asylum in Tamil Nadu.

(d) the federal system should be so designed that the different constituents within the federated units have meaningful representation at the centre.

(e) the constitution should designate a date, as had been done in the draft proposals submitted to Parliament by the President in the year 2000, by which date the three districts in the Eastern Province are given a chance to vote at a referendum.

The third alternative, to create a separate federal unit for the Muslims in the South of the Eastern Province, much touted from time to time by the SLMC and some Muslims from the Ampara District are fraught with two particular disadvantages that should really attract rejection of the proposal by the Muslims of the East and elsewhere:

(a) when one takes the totality of the Muslims population of the North-East the proposed 'South East Province' will clearly have less number of Muslims than in the rest of the North-East. One remembers the fate of the millions of Muslims during the last half a century at the hands of Hindu chauvinists after the separation of Pakistan and today's Bangladesh from Imperial India. Who is prepared to abandon the Muslims of Kattankudy, Eravur, Valaichenai, Muttur, Kinniya, Mannar, Jaffna etc. to be continued to be savaged, as if what happened to them in the last two decades, and even in the present post-ceasefire period, is not enough?

(b) additionally, the inveterate chauvinist elements in the country, though few, are certain to twist this proposal to suit themselves and try to whip up communal forces in the rest of the country.

- Dr. H M Mauroof, President, National Muslim Movement

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Treading the path of peace

by Christie Fernando, Chilaw special correspondent

"Sporadic incidents of any magnitude in the North and East should never deter the peace process. Rather, the peace talks should continue in earnest, come what may.

Children orphaned by war housed at the Jeevajothi Children’s Home, opposite General Hospital, Batticaloa.

Blood-letting and mayhem in twenty years of war in Sri Lanka, had left a legacy of innocent, traumatized and orphaned children and widows bereft of families. The only losers in the bargain were those who made a fortune out of a protracted war - because, as everyone knows - they were obviously making a fast buck, out of a bad situation," said Rev. Bro. W. M. Michael, SSJ (Society of St. Joseph), Director, St. Joseph's Technical Institute, Trincomalee.

"A year has passed, and we have been enjoying relatively authentic peace in this region. People go about freely. They can go anywhere now unlike in the past. And they have nothing to grumble as goods and services are available in plenty to them."

He was speaking at an exclusive interview with the Daily News during a visit to St. Joseph's Technical Institute, Trincomalee recently.

"People who suffered during the crossfire were intensely aware of the anguish, misery and deprivation they underwent. They unequivocally resent another armed confrontation or hostilities. "They have learnt a bitter lesson and had the experience of a relentless and tormenting war in the past two decades, he added.

As for me, I can see from this part of the country, in Chilaw, a bus plying every half hour to Vavuniya. It is also evident that people travel and transact business briskly there unlike in the past.

Some who had not seen the metropolis or the hub of developed cities and towns in these urban areas, now emerge into the limelight from 'bizarre and uncharted corners' in the north to show camaraderie and fellowship - to meet their kith and kin and exchange pleasantries in the south and west.

In the past, some who had never decamped their territories for years from Jaffna, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Batticaloa or the Wanni, now have the chance of trekking around, sight-seeing and being out 'on a spree'. They have a chance of buying fashionable clothes, going on pilgrimage to visit Hindu temples and churches and enjoy the beauty, glamour and grace of the country by trudging upcountry to salubrious climes and in a nutshell to experience how the rest of the country sojourn in life.

The northerners who were growing up in the ghetto, restricted to a continuous and monotonous life of reverberation of gunfire and shelling, are now unshackled and unfettered to 'check out', and see leisurely the splendour of other parts of the country.

And so, remorseful memories of a bygone abominable war, will obviously go into oblivion, creating new vistas to start a rejuvenated life. And for all this to continue, another skirmish should not loom in the horizon, to say the least.

Some are of opinion that religious leaders (both Hindu and Catholic) in the north and east should enthusiastically exhort and urge their followers of whatever religious persuasion never to resort to a conflict or war situation in the future. The religious priests of all denominations should admonish their adherents to tread the path of peace.

They should be taught and admonished to practise their faith and not be mere nominal Hindus, Buddhists, Christians or Catholics who advocate bigoted, partisan and insular perspectives and not concentrate on the larger benefits that can accrue to the country as a whole. They must value lofty ideals of justice and freedom in a noble manner eschewing ulterior and prejudiced motives. For all intents and purposes, all parties should avoid a bloody conflict. For the realisation of such self-sacrificing and virtuous ideals, the clergy should move forward to set a lesson and preach to their followers.

It is revealed that over 50 per cent of children in the north do not attend school. As they did not go to school during the raging war, it is well nigh impossible for them to make a worthwhile career. Their parents or guardians are constrained to engage them in menial jobs to support their families. This is really a pathetic situation in the war-torn areas.

So in fact, as a generalisation, a conflict of any sort, will not be a plausible solution to the ethnic problem. More families will be disrupted and more and more children can become orphans, creating umpteen numbers of widows in the country - and more agony, pain and destitution will follow. And this country will be remembered as a country divided and rampant with anarchy and hatred sparked at each other.

Hence, all parties (with foreign collaboration) should negotiate a peaceful settlement of their issues. Now that all parties have come closer to negotiate a peaceful solution, they should continue in an endeavour to achieve lasting peace in the country protecting its sovereignty. 'Divide and rule' should never be anyone's perception, because, the country will be dragged to utter disarray and confusion in the end.

Avoiding a possible war means avoiding carnage and decimation of people from both sides of the divide. This should never ever happen again. People known and have experienced the tragedies of a combat and warfare.

This is the last and only chance in the offing to come to the negotiating table - and not start a war to lead to the ruination of our precious country - which had seen hard and turbulent times in the past two decades. We should save our Mother Land from wreckage, disintegration and desolation - for it's our own precious land - 'Pearl of the East!'

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