A shocking revelation

Readers of our inside story headlined “Over 30 schoolgirls pregnant in Badulla” in yesterday’s edition may have reacted with shock and consternation at the levels to which our society has declined over the years.

A few decades ago such a story would have caused a huge upheaval and a public outcry for summery justice to the perpetrators. But in the present context where Sri Lanka too is gradually being transformed into a permissive society it won’t be long before the episode disappears from the public consciousness.

What is noteworthy is that this episode was reported from a basically rural area where one would have thought room for such escapades was minimal. This is based on the belief that these rural areas are not yet sullied by the laissez-faire culture prevalent in the cities.

But now as demonstrated this permissive culture is gradually seeping into the hitherto unspoilt rural terrain. It was reported that most of the victims were young schoolgirls who were preyed upon while attending tuition classes.

Apparently their innocence has been exploited by beastly elements to sexually abuse them. The report says that there is an organised gang consisting of three wheeler drivers and private bus operators who lure these girls to resthouses.

Teenage pregnancies although common in the Western countries are rare in these parts of the world where family values steeped in a deep cultural ethos still hold sway.

Similarly in Sri Lanka with its strong Buddhist roots there was no place for permissiveness. Thus pregnancies out of wedlock were treated as a cause for ostracisation in the highly conservative village society. In certain Middle East countries victims are liable for primitive punishment such as stoning to death.

This is perhaps the first time in Lanka that a case of mass pregnancies of schoolgirls has come to light. That as much as 30 teenage schoolgirls from a single area had got themselves pregnant should awaken the concerned authorities to take a more serious view of the whole matter. (According to our report these are only the reported cases suggesting there are more such instances).

If not very soon we too will be sucked into the same decadence that is sweeping the West blasting us off our much cherished cultural moorings. Already we see this in many facets Lankan life.

What is alarming is the percolating of these influences into rural society destroying its pristine purity, the moral fabric and entrenched values. The exposure to the outside world through medium of television, mobile phones and the free availability of adult fare too have contributed towards this trend in no small measure.

The young generation today are gradually sloughing off their reticence and sense of shame and propriety that were once hallmarks of our culture. It has to be admitted that our religious institutions too have failed in the task of rescuing our younger generation from this permissive culture that has permeated the social fabric.

We are not short of regular preachings by religious leaders on television. But have these had any impact on the younger generation ? The Badulla episode shows this to be negative.

Ditto for places of worship. Today these institutions have largely failed in the task of redeeming young lives that are going astray. Instead they are more focused on extraneous matters such as dabbling in politics and business ventures.

Some of these religious leaders have embraced materialism which is at variance with the teachings of their respective religions. Religious institutions are crumbling in the West amidst the wave of liberalism sweeping the Western hemisphere.

It is hoped this would not be repeated in this country. Our religious leaders comprise the last bastion against decadence that may take hold of this country.

They therefore have to be equal to the task of providing the guidance to rehabilitate and redeem our younger generation. The authorities would take a serious look at the decline in our value system and come out with remedies to prevent the future generation from straying from the accepted path.

True, it will be a difficult task in this modern age where the young unlike in the past are more rebellious and are sucked into a free permissive culture against their will as demonstrated from the Badulla episode where these influences have percolated down to hitherto unspoilt terrain.

As a nation which takes pride in our deep cultural roots and rich heritage it is incumbent on all concerned to find ways to stem the slide into moral degradation.

All religious leaders should come together in this exercise of weaning away our young from this scourge is threatening to overtake all that we have valued and held sacred over generations.