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| Wednesday, 21 January 2004 |
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Youth - hope and hopelessness by Lorna Wright Life's tragic limitations, Migration into 1st world countries in particular is severely restricted - blacks to where the whites are. The visa is a requirement - but war Refugees get it. The LTTE did. Youth pirouetting on this frigid breeze found money bought warmth for dissent. Illicit immigration played a mean part for adventurous young and they were played upon by the unscrupulous in no mean way. The last trawler load had 269 adventurers. Ages ranging from fisherman Chaminda 25 years O/Level from De La Salle College, Modera to Kathaluwa 45 years from Negombo; all now on remand at the Kalutara prisons mixed up with hardened prisoners. The cost to the Government Rs. 3,800 per month per person - cost to the country, more drug addicts, crime busters, petty thieves and flag waving hoodlums. In the country are 22,000 persons in Prison, whose lives have known remorseless destruction. There are 40,000 Army deserters, creators of a very large basket of nettlesome problems. Add to that 30,000 unemployed graduates to whom the elusive 'thatweya' prestige, is important. There are 1.5 million drop-outs and non-school going unemployed. This year 50% or more failures at O/Level and A/Level and 10,000 drop in school entrance. A formidable number of youth with time on their hands. Conferences, workshops, seminars, UN Agencies their mandate - words, words hurtling through the air a churning jumble of reports, - unbelievable debris. My great, greatgrandfather sailed the seven seas from Holland and ended up in Sri Lanka. I have not the slightest idea which village he came from. I do not know a word of Dutch. To me his image here is that of an adventurous man of urbanity and culture with unchanging, unchangeable values. Those, we as a community of Burghers have upheld. A majority migrated to Australia speaking the International language English. Considered a great assimilationist Group while others integrated. Today there is something seriously awry in Sri Lanka. Young people with no jobs, very little hope of one, want to toss complaining their everyday dull improvisatory lifestyle. Instead they catch the very spirit of life on the wing and risk a trawler trip on the high seas of the unknown. They are condemned. Offenders yes, but victims. Their court hearing was upset on the 9th January. The murder in the magistrate's court and their case was hustled to make shift area at the Welikada prison. Relations rushed to the prison gates - young wives, mothers, grandmothers and grandfathers. No meetings. No greetings. Remanded.Routine administrative proceedings back to Kalutara prison. A grandfather spotted his grandson at a window. He ran, his hand strained out. A wonderfully crafted moment to watch - when the young man wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, in those few minutes squeezing in a message of love, encouragement and hope. Section 34/45/1B leaving the country from unauthorized port or attempted leaving is an offence punishable by law. Section 47 and there is no bail for offences committed under these sections. These pauperized lads after three months spent with hardened criminals will learn how to say like St. Augustine. "God keep me good and pure" then remembering the financial hurdles that lie ahead in their young lives add "Not yet". For a set back such as this money clearly is not enough money. The three months of criminal learning over, the Attorney General's Department grants bail. Women, wives, mothers groan. Literally weep. Subasimenike, 19 years with freshly experienced newness of marriage attempts to breast feed her eight month daughter as she recounts. Rangkalum her 21 years husband gave up smoking. In his anxiety he will start again. "in family life we just cannot afford it". Nadeeka 19 years wife of another De La Salle pupil 20 years Suranga Prasanna only four months married sobbed, choked with grief still raw at the parting. While many of them worked at the Fisheries they went fishing with Mudalalis. They also drove hired three wheelers. Indrakanthie 33 years and husband Nihal Vasantha 35 years have two children nine year old son and a deaf and dumb girl of 15 years. They live in Kelaniya and the three wheeler vehicle he uses, has no access to a stand. The hires he picks up have to be done on the run. That means fuel is at his expense. Takings for the day are very limited. With thousands of three wheelers there no longer exists fairness and professional competence in this activity. So they decided to migrate. Sri Lanka has millions of idle Hands - 40,000 army deserters, 30,000 unemployed graduates, 1.5 million unemployed dropouts, 22,000 hard core prisoners, recent O/L and A/L failures. National, sub-regional, and regional identification with weaponry, drugs cannot agree on standards of conduct, language and manners, and have blindly nurtured resentments surface. Looking for solutions that work, rather than solutions that fit preconceived set of doctrines and dogmas. Women's organizations affiliated to the Memory of Mother Foundation with islandwide networks, lawyers, members of CIMOGG common destiny counts, are agreed that the Immigration and Emigration Act is reviewed. Rev. Baddegama Samitha Thera MP will associate himself with this philanthropy of 'love of mankind'. Other religions suggest till the Act's reviewed, the offenders are not sent to be with hard-core prisoner, but sent to detention camps for short periods. Rev. Fr. Firth OMI has Basic skills at Maggona, Rev. Bro Henry has Diyagala Boys Town at Ragama. Rev. Fr. Tissa Balasuriya at Andiambalama, Rev. Paul Caspersz in Kandy. Others to be approached Don Bosco, Gangarama and many others. They will also lobby with the Minister of Labour, Mahinda Samarasinghe to seek jobs for them overseas. Reconstruction workers are required. It will need dedication and commitment by a Government not to increase the unruly elements and despair that now prevails in the country. |
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