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Compensation on an equal basis

The decision by the Presidential Committee on Compensating Persons Affected by Political Violence to grant redress to the close kith and kin of all those who died in the general election violence of 2001 and 2004 irrespective of political party links and other considerations, merits hailing as a ground-breaking measure.

The adoption of the principle of equality in the granting of such compensation testifies to the social justice and human rights commitments of the Government. We urge that the Government remains committed to these standards for the purpose of making some headway in changing the political culture of this country.

This refreshing initiative by the Committee also brings to fruition efforts by President Kumaratunga to award compensation payments to all the next of kin of those who were killed in the general election violence of 2001.

In contrast, the former government awarded compensation to only the next of kin of the Udathalawinna massacre. This was done on a selective and discriminatory basis whereas it has been the aim of the President to compensate the next of kin of the victims of political violence on a non-discriminatory, non-political basis. It goes without saying that if equity and fairplay are to be our standards in the treatment of victims of such violence and their dependants, the President's approach to the issue needs to be adopted.

It is a measure of the deeply divisive impact of the politics of this country that governments in the past, by and large, have been making political loyalty to the existing regime the principal yardstick for the granting of redress of this nature.

Needless to say, such discriminatory treatment generates resentment and opposition to incumbent governments on the part of those who have been overlooked in the granting of compensation. In fact discriminatory treatment has been starkly manifest in the redressing of grievances of other kinds too by past governments, with regime loyalty emerging as the main yardstick for the granting of relief. A case in point is political victimization in the public sector.

Thus has Sri Lanka remained divided. The sense of frustration and bitterness, discrimination leaves behind in the breasts of people, contributes substantially towards spiralling political violence. Thus the Committee's moves to end discriminatory compensation payments, if effectively implemented, could help in breaking this vicious circle of violence.

By acting on an equitable basis on these issues, President Kumaratunga freshly underscores her position as the Head of the entire Lankan State. This position obliges the President to treat every citizen of this country equally. Thus are the seeds of social peace sown.

Fire safety

Sunday's supermarket blaze in Paraguay which killed nearly 300 people is a stark reminder of the destructive power of fire. This tragedy came just a couple of weeks after an inferno in Tamil Nadu, India killed nearly 80 schoolchildren.

In both instances, the victims were trapped inside the buildings which had no discernible fire safety measures.

It now appears that both these tragedies could have been prevented or the number of casualties minimised if adequate safety measures had been employed. Fire safety measures must be given priority in the construction of new buildings and the renovation of old ones.

Among the standard fire prevention and safety measures are sprinkler systems, smoke and fire alarms linked to emergency services, on-site fire extinguishers and hose reels, trap doors, multiple exits, wide corridors and the use of fire proof materials. Most buildings in the Third World do not have these safety systems, which seriously compromises the security of users. City planners and administrators must ensure that all new buildings strictly conform to fire regulations.

Many buildings in Sri Lanka, old and new, do not have adequate fire safety systems. We read reports of fires devastating commercial complexes, shops and homes in various parts of the country almost every week. While a few of them are acts of arson, the majority of the blazes could have been prevented with a little more attention to the protection of the buildings and their occupants.

Faulty electrical wiring (short circuits), gas/oil leaks, sheer negligence (ex: the indiscriminate throwing of cigarette butts) and the lack of smoke warning systems often cause these incidents - it is the smoke that actually kills most victims, not the fire itself. The fact that most buildings do not have fire extinguishers and other containment measures compound the problem.

Provincial and local authorities should revise fire safety regulations to meet modern standards and carry out periodic inspections of public buildings. Fire drills must be regularly held for the benefit of occupants of large buildings.

In this context, maintaining fire brigades in a top condition is essential. Fire brigades have to race to the scene in minutes if possible and save any survivors while taming the conflagration. These brave men and women put their lives at risk for the sake of others.

Many cities in Sri Lanka do not have good fire fighting units. In some cases, manpower is readily available but modern equipment is sorely lacking. We also come across instances where local authorities have simply neglected or discarded fire engines.

These shortcomings must be rectified and uncompromising safety measures must be introduced without delay.

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