|
It is pathetic to say that the discipline or rather the behaviour of
some college students at present is nil and its defiantly a shame to
these respective schools to have such students who represents the school
to the world.
On June 19 which was a Saturday between 1.00 p.m. - 1.30 p.m. a few
students of a renowned boys school located down R A de Mel Mawatha,
Colombo 3 near the Valukarama Temple ‘harassed’ me while I was standing
at the bus stop which is adjoining the school wall close to the school
main gate down Duplication Road.
I was rather stunned to hear the amount of slang these schoolboys
used at me for no reason while I was standing at the bus stop. It is
quite disappointing to witness and to be a victim of such
in-disciplinary behaviour especially by students of a renowned Colombo
school.
Nevertheless the most disturbing incident was the fact that these
boys started throwing stones at me over the school wall and one stone
happened to strike my hand and they continued using ‘abusive language’
and harassing me when I heard one of the students who was near the
school gate saying “Malli monawada karane ape iskole name neda yanne”.
Needless to say it was very embarrassing and I had never faced such
an incident in my life. I could not think of anything other than calling
the Police emergency. I almost did it but disconnected the call next
second since I wasn’t too sure if its the right thing to do at that time
as I was all alone. Finally I managed to get into a bus and get myself
out of that unpleasant scene.
It made me wonder what sort of an unhealthy mindset these little boys
have at a very young age. What is our country’s future going to be with
such disgusting set of citizens one day?
Those children were truly fearless as otherwise they wouldn’t have
ever behaved in such a disgusting manner while they are in the school
premises knowing that they could get caught as they will be easily
identified as the students of this particular College. It is very
surprising to even know that these boys have such an unhealthy mentality
at this young age where they are still out of home to school and yet to
face the world as adults but by that time no women will be able to walk
or stand on the road alone with such sickening men around as if this is
the way these boys behave at a very early stage and by the time they are
adults they could be even more dangerous and could be a real threat to
the womankind and to the whole world.
I have already made a verbal complaint to the two Vice Principals of
this particular school (as I never got the chance to get through to the
Principal) as well as a written complaint too has been sent requesting
them to take strict action regarding this matter and to make sure that
this type of nuisance is not going to happen again.
I wonder what action will be taken ....
G PERERA - Moratuwa
It is very sad indeed to note that we Sri Lankans always produce a
beautiful edifice and yet after a short while completely abandon its
proper maintenance.
Millions of rupees have been ploughed into the re-development of our
International Airport. Yet a recent arrival, found the toilets a
stinking mess without even a roll of toilet paper around. Somebody must
be taken to task for these lapses as an International Airport is the
first impression of a country and we are not dirty stinking people. If
those responsible are not taken to task, all our efforts and expense
will come to naught. Regular maintenance of an airport is compulsory and
maintenance of its terminals and facilities to customers are basic
requirements - not luxury.
The newly built cafeteria at the Departure Lounge was another talking
point recently when a young touring couple carrying an infant and
pushing a trolley full of travelling bags, found it impossible to get to
the cafeteria as there was no elevator to it. I personally witnessed
this couple loading their bodies with all their bags and the infant and
climbing the stairs obviously famished.
CEDRIC SILVA - Kotte
A good Constitution must be a consensus document where all the
citizens of whatever religion or ethnicity consent to be governed by the
Articles in the Constitution.
A Constitution which provides only for majority rule cannot be called
democratic unless the inalienable rights of all citizens are places
beyond the reach of ordinary majorities in the Legislature. Therefore,
there is a need for the Constitution to provide guarantees to all
minorities if we are to achieve lasting peace.
What makes a good Constitution:
1. A Bill of Rights - Sometimes called Fundamental Rights which are
justifiable are imperative. The Bill of Rights should comprise of the
functioning rights apart from the right spelt out in Article 10-14 of
the 1978 Constitution.
2. The Right to Life
3. The Right to Health Care in State Institutions
4. The Right to Free Education upto the age of 14 in State Schools
(as in India)
5. The Right of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment
6. The Right to Information Law
7. Public Interest Litigation
(These rights are spelt out in the South African Constitution in the
Chapter on the Bill of Rights)
8. There should be a strict separation of powers and above all an
independent judiciary. (This subject is dealt by another committee).
9. The Rights to Review Legislation
10. The Rights of Judicial Review
11. The Right to Equality and non-discrimination
12. Constitutional Guarantees for Minorities.
13. The Constitution should provide for Appointment Council to
appoint and have disciplinary control over Chairman, Consultants and
Directors of State Corporations. The members of the Council should be
appointed by the Constitutional Council.
What is a minority?
“Minority has been taken to mean a group numerically inferior to the
rest of the population of a State in a non-dominant position whose
members being nationals of the State possess ethnic, religious or
linguistic characteristics deferring from those of the rest of the
population and show if only implicitly a sense of solidarity directed
towards preserving their cultural traditions, religion or language.”
The Supreme Court of India defined ‘Minority’ as a community
religious or linguistic which is numerically less than 50 percent of the
population of any State would be a minority amenable to the Fundamental
Rights guaranteed under Article 30. Roman Catholics in the State of
Kerala were held to be a minority. (2 ker L R 6) In Sri Lanka Christians
are not recognized as a minority as they are not an ethnic minority.
Protection of Minorities under the Indian Constitution
Article 25
No taxes to be used to promote any one Religion (Pakistan Art 27, Art
49, Switzerland and U.S.A) (The use of Religion for Political purposes
is forbidden Art 20(4)-Constitution of Myanmar. Art 89 - Constitution of
Japan)
Article 25 - Freedom of conscience and free profession, practise and
propagation of religion.
Article 26 - Freedom to manage Religious Affairs
Article 27 - Freedom as to payment of taxes for the promotion of any
particular religion
Article 28 - Freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or
religious worship in educational institutions.
In countries where there is plural society like Sri Lanka minorities
are safeguard in two ways:
(a) By having a Federal Constitution with guarantees for minorities
in the area of religion and education rights. This has been achieved by
the Indian Constitution which apart from Chapter III, which refers to
Fundamental Rights (where the right to equality and non discrimination
is guaranteed) there are also other Article in the Indian Constitution
that guarantees the rights of minorities (Articles 25-30). A photocopy
of these Articles have been distributed.
(b) By having a Secular Constitution.
All the Federal constitutions are secular which means that the State
cannot promote any one religion. It must be remembered that the
percentage of Sinhala Buddhists is 69.81 percent according to the last
statistics. It is not possible to change Ch II of the Constitution which
gives special place to Buddhism. However the other religion can
mentioned like in the Constitution of Myanmar and Ireland. In India with
a population of over One Billion, 80 percent of whom are Hindus, no one
religion is given a special place in the Constitution.
In Singapore there are four official languages.
The Constitution does not give special recognition to any one
religion. In fact on July 21 each year every Singaporean has to recite a
Declaration that they accept that Singapore is a plural society and are
obliged to respect the rights of others.
Another reason why we should effect this change is because the Sri
Lanka Government has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and
Political rights.
We are now bound by International law to effect this change. In fact
the UN Human Rights Committee had questioned the Sri Lanka Government
why the Constitution still gives an exalted place to one religion.
The Constitution must adopt the principles laid down in the
International Covenants and Conventions for Sri Lankan Government has
ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and is
obliged to charge its Constitution its laws.
G A Fernando - Colombo 7
|
