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| Monday, 31 January 2005 |
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The tsunami and the tragedy of the Sri Lankan scientist by Dr. Tissa Weerasekera
A constant flow of scientific information on physical phenomena in the country and around the world, prompt analysis of such information, fast and accurate communication, and fast and effective implementation of preventive measures in a situation of impending disaster can take place only in a mechanism where the active participation of scientists is assured. At least some tsunami early warning information albeit indirectly, was available to Sri Lanka. There was also the whole range of electronic communication methods that are nowadays taken for granted. In principle, someone should have collected the information as soon as it was available. After adequate confirmation and a quick scientific analysis of the information by a very responsible senior scientist at decision-making level, the warning should have been passed to the President. Disaster watch station The necessary mechanism however, did not exist. It did not exist because nobody cared to have it and more precisely, because in this country nobody accepts science and scientists as essential components in the decision making structure. A 24-hour disaster watch station that can obtain and analyse information is essential. More importantly, the authority to issue the warning to the President should be in the hands of scientists who know that it is better to be alarmed about an unknown danger than to keep calm in a danger that is known. The tragedy is that Sri Lankan scientists are not allowed to occupy such high positions that carry responsibility. If there ever was a group of human beings that could make an attempt to understand Mother Nature and her numerous ways of balancing the forces within her, it was the scientific community. The historic task of the scientist was to make what it would take to protect the human race from the results of frequent agitations of nature, to carry human race to the future, and to conserve or develop every beneficial thing associated with human lives. In the world of the scientist there are no compromises, traditions, popular beliefs, politics, consensus, or sometimes even love and compassion. In that world there are only recorded observations, logical interpretations, predictions, expressions of possible consequences, and almost always the cold truth. These are not always palatable to the rulers and the general public. They may also not be compatible with the general lifestyle prevailing in the country. This is the reason why in ancient times, some scientists had to pay with their lives for saying what they had to say. Scientists deprived Today, the Sri Lankan scientist does not have to die telling the society how to live the modern life of this world. In fact, the scientists no longer need to say anything because no one is interested in listening to them. There are many others attending to every facet of our lives. The scientist is simply ignored, sidelined, or conveniently forgotten. Yet it is wrong to conclude that the Sri Lankan scientists are a deprived and an underprivileged group. They live a comfortable life in the oblivion that has been created for them. It is only that they cannot make their valuable contribution to the country and society because they are being purposefully kept out of the decision making structure in the country. They are not allowed in the proverbial Board Room. They are often branded as a group that obstructs the development processes, by citing the criticisms brought forward by them in cases of short-sightedness associated with ill-conceived activities that would bring short-term gains and long-term disaster to the country. Compulsory answers There is however, one occasion for which the Sri Lankan scientist is supposed to be present. That is when everyone wonders what has struck the country and the society, in the aftermath of a natural or a man-made disaster. There, it is compulsory that the scientist answers all the questions raised by everybody including the general public. The questions may represent many angles of the incident. Broadly, people may ask why this happened. The scientist would surely give a correct and a precise answer to that question. Then, if someone asks how this happened the scientist will comfortably answer that too. The blow will be delivered to the scientist with the final question - why did not you tell us in advance. Here, the pain begins to disturb the scientist. Over the years, the scientist may have been screaming at uninterested rulers and the general public that the scientific component is an essential part in planning, development, conservation, and prevention of disaster. But there is a limit in forcing something to an unresponsive public or a group of rulers that intentionally keep out the informer. At this point the scientist will stop and keep quiet. The situation is that the scientist could contribute so much to protect the country and the society. However, it could not be realized because the scientist is not listened to or welcome in the area where all the important decisions are made. This is the pain and the tragedy of the Sri Lankan scientist. Systematic elimination In the two decades that followed the independence, many notable politicians relied on Sri Lankan scientific community in strategic planning, development, and conservation. Late D.S. Senanayake, late S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, C.P. De Silva, and late Sirimavo Bandaranaike, are well-known for obtaining the advice of Sri Lankan scientists and engineers who channelled their knowledge, skills, and experience to many massive development and conservation projects. Late Gamini Dissanayake is one other outstanding politician who kept highly qualified scientists among other professionals in his group of advisors, particularly in implementing the Mahaweli Programme. With these politicians, the scientists were not hesitant to voice what they had in mind, and this situation may have saved the country enormous amounts of wealth, and on many occasions served in avoiding serious national problems. In recent times there has been a systematic elimination of the scientific component from the decision making machinery. Many qualified and experienced scientists have left the country in the past few decades for employment, most of them seeking permanent residence abroad. Of them, a high proportion has left because the skills and experience of scientists are not recognized, valued, or needed in this country. It is disheartening to note that these scientists contribute very significantly for the well-being of the countries where they live, simply because Sri Lanka could not offer them an opportunity to serve their own people. This situation is highlighted by the fact that some of the expatriate Sri Lankan scientists have achieved the highest positions and associated recognition in their respective fields. Significant impact Obtaining employment abroad and migrating is one way out. There are some scientists however, who remain in this country for various reasons. Many choose to live here comfortably with their kith and kin, working in some government department or another, rightfully not having any guilty conscience precipitated by the fact that they cannot make any contribution to the country or society even if they want to. Some scientists are heavily occupied with the work of their own projects, mostly in collaboration with international organizations and scientific institutions. Their work has a significant impact on global scientific issues and therefore, benefits this country as well. There are a few scientists, for example the author, who still has hope that his qualifications and experience would someday be used in the decision making process of planning, development and conservation in this country. In the case of many such scientists, the Government does not even know that they exist although they may be the highest qualified persons in the Government of Sri Lanka in their respective scientific fields. Nevertheless, because of the globally useful collaborative work they perform, they are highly appreciated in well-recognized international institutes. Future, wiser It is a tragedy that the qualified and experienced scientists have never been appointed to any high level decision making positions pertaining to their respective scientific fields. To select suitable people for such positions somebody only has to go through the list of scientists employed in the public service. However, scientists such as this author believe that even in such discouraging circumstances where science and the scientists are not regarded as components in development, it is highly important that the scientific information in relation to a particular scientific field is collected, interpreted and preserved for any future wiser generation that would hopefully use such information to make this country a better place to live. |
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Produced by Lake House |
Tsunami reminded everyone that science is not alive in Sri Lanka. It
highlighted the fact that no state-of-the-art technology can save people
from disaster if the decision-making structure of the country does not
have science and scientists built into it and does not keep science alive.
