So-called journalist is a shame to the female population - Minister

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The so-called dead journalist who appeared in the Channel 4 video has taken many innocent lives and is a shame to the entire female population, said Child Development and Women’s Empowerment Minister Tissa Karaliyedda in an interview with the Daily News

Following are extracts of the interview:

Q: What do you think about the Channel 4 video?

A: The so-called dead journalist or ‘announcer’ who appeared in the Channel 4 video was one of the LTTE cadres who launched an attack in Kebithigollewa and killed many innocent civilians. Therefore she is not a journalist or an announcer. She was one of the LTTE women cadres and a killer. She is a shame to the entire female population.

Child Development and Women’s Empowerment Minister Tissa Karaliyedda

We should all thank Major General Shavendra Silva for revealing the truth about the Channel 4 video and setting a good example for Sri Lankan diplomats in foreign missions. The truth will win even if many more lies and fabrications are brought in by local and foreign elements.

As the Women’s Affairs Minister I feel very sad about the way the LTTE used women as suicide bombers to kill people. LTTE women cadres were brainwashed and they destroyed innocent women and children. The LTTE used a large number of child soldiers. The LTTE dragged women into a deadly and unnecessary war. Sri Lankan women always had enjoyed freedom and dignity. They did not want a war no matter to which ethnic group they belonged to.

Q: What are the latest developments regarding the Darusman Report?

A: The Sri Lankan government will respond to it. Sri Lanka rejected the whole issue from the very beginning. Sri Lanka rejected appointing an advisory panel, making a report and releasing it to the media. Therefore, Sri Lanka has rejected the whole process very clearly.

Q: Has violence against women and children increased or decreased?

A: Terrorism and war existed earlier. Therefore, the attention of the media and the public was on bomb blasts, war and terrorism. But even at that time, violence against women and children took place. Now there is no war or terrorism. The country enjoys permanent peace. Focus is now on violence against women and children and other crimes. There is no significant increase or decrease in it. Some women go against the culture of the country. That is one reason for them to be subjected to harassments. But some countries such as Australia have more incidents of violence against women than Sri Lanka.

Q: What are the measures being taken to address the issue?

A: Various institutions carry out a significant service to help women. Now women can freely visit a Police station and lodge complaints. Earlier it was not so because most people looked at a woman in a strange manner. Now women’s and children’ desks have been established in Police stations. The numbers will be further increased.

Graduates will be recruited for this purpose. The problem is, sometimes the specific WPC attached to the desk has to carry out other duties such as controlling road traffic etc. When this happens, women who visit Police stations do not get the service of the specific WPC especially assigned to handle the desk. I hope to bring this issue to the notice of the Defence Secretary.

Some NGOs in this field carry out a significant and admirable service towards Sri Lankan women. But some NGOs do nothing and are just preaching. They have their own agendas and try to implement them here. That cannot be allowed. They have to do what the country needs. Nobody talks about the problems faced by rural women. Special attention should be paid to employ female graduates and give them prominent positions in the country.

Q: What about women heading households?

A: Earlier the government could not pay special attention to this due to LTTE terrorism. But now terrorism is over. The government is now in the process of formulating a programme to assist them.

Discussions with Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera to ensure the safety of migrant housemaids and their young daughters are ongoing. The minimum age for housemaids will be further increased and measures will be in place to stop women who have young daughters from seeking employment abroad. Legislations are going to be introduced soon to make it compulsory for women to hand over their children’s welfare to a responsible and close caretaker in writing before going abroad as housemaids.

Nowadays, a majority of the Free Trade Zone female garment workers get married and resign from their jobs because there is no one to look after their children. Arrangements will soon be made to set up day care centres for the benefit of these women.

Q: Do you think that Sri Lankan women enjoy their due rights?

A: Sri Lankan women have already won their rights. Sri Lanka produced the world’s first woman Prime Minister and female President. Our Chief Justice is a woman. There are brave women in the combined forces. Today, Sri Lankan women are not confined to their homes. They enjoy their freedom and rights.

But women should not go against the country’s culture and social ethics. When women go against the culture, men try to harasses them and take advantage, violate their rights. Therefore women should not try to exceed their boundaries and rights.

Q: What about promoting child rights?

A: Earlier, schoolteachers disciplined students and the students achieved good educational qualifications and gained moral values. But today human rights have interfered with disciplining schoolchildren. This is one of the major issues.

It is good that we can prevent incidents of taking revenge that take place sometimes in the name of disciplining schoolchildren, but as a whole, it has made a negative impact on disciplining children.

In the past, teachers punished schoolchildren for their faults and parents never interfered with any of those issues. But now it is not so.

Parents, now get involved with school affairs in an unnecessary manner. Then every one blames the teachers and schools when children engage in anti social activities as adults. Schoolteachers should know how to protect their honour and dignity.