LLRC:

'Sound peace education system vital'

Chaminda Perera

Former Justice of Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and International Court of Justice C.G. Weeramantry yesterday emphasized the need of having a sound peace education system for building peace and reconciliation among the different communities after the end of three decades war in the North and the East.

He was of the opinion that peace education will impart a war-torn generation some of the conceptual, psychological and religious perspectives which will give inspiration and hopes to children who have known nothing but war.

Justice Weeramantry was giving evidence before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Centre in Colombo yesterday.

Weeramantry added that all segments of society beginning from school students should receive comprehensive peace education to restore harmony and good-will in the country.

He said the members of Security Forces and the Police should receive this education. "The subject of peace education should be a main pre-occupation of the Government and all public authorities in Sri Lanka" , he added. Justice Weeramantry added that peace education is a lacuna in the education sector from the kindergarden level. He stated that it is the first step toward the conflict resolution.

Weeramantry added that the members of the public can be educated through seminars, lectures and workshops.

He was of the opinion that Sri Lanka can establish a worldwide peace university and Sri Lanka has all sorts of sources for such a venture. "Sri Lanka can show the world how the experience of our conflict can be used to yield real benefits regarding the restoration of harmony in a war-torn community.

Justice Weeramantry said that there should be a room in the school curriculum for peace related perspectives. He stressed the need of introducing an incentive scheme for students who are willing to do peace studies.

He opined that the nominal teaching of three languages is no longer useful for the establishment of long lasting peace and reconciliation.

He stressed that there should be a comprehensive mechanism through which the students can read, write and talk in three languages fluently.

He said students in Japan are learning more than six languages. "Learning three languages is not a strain to students," he said.