Role of youth leadership in reconciliation
Interviewed by Daria White
Peacebuilder Pushpi Weerakoon is no stranger
to the Conflict Transformation field and is well loved among many youth
groups and civil societies. She is a trained Mediator from Harvard
University with an MA in Conflict Transformation from the Eastern
Mennonite University. Pushpi also holds an MBA from University of Wales
and specializes in International and Commercial Law from University of
Buckingham. In 2011 Pushpi was honoured with the Rotary National Peace
Award. I caught up with her while she was been busy doing what she does
best providing 'service above self' as a Rotarian and as the Coordinator
at the National Reconciliation Secretariat at the Presidential
Secretariat headed by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha, MP, the Reconciliation
adviser to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Q: How do you coordinate these numerous number of service
projects?
A: I work through a multi-talented diverse network I have
build myself ever since schooling at St Bridget's Convent, Colombo which
kept growing as I attended several universities and then worked as a
Conflict Transformer across continents. The experience of having worked
in the humanitarian field since 2003, seeing the volatile ground
reality, change of attitudes among the victims and offenders during and
post conflict, I believe broadened my understanding and sensitize me
towards the deeper needs of the beneficiaries. Presently when I identify
a need to be fulfilled I appeal to my network with a project proposal
emphasizing on the urgency of the need and take the initiative to liaise
among the different stakeholders to get the project rolling. Remember
what requires to initiate a good service project is an idea/ a good
solution to the identified issue and a good communication strategy to
get this idea across to the right forum/individual.
Getting these two correct will automatically lead you to the
resources and funds required to implement it. It is important that the
solution sought is agreed upon and promoted by the consensus of the
beneficiaries and the contributing stakeholders to achieve a sense of
ownership and to sustain the project. You also do not have to belong to
the same sector your initiating the project in, all you need is a
like-minded, energetic support group who believes in you and the cause
you set out to achieve. Also master the art of networking through social
media. Spreading the word by Ping, Twitter, Blogs, Facebook, Linkedin
and interactive websites goes a long way. Give credits where its due. We
humans loves to be acknowledged. That self satisfaction most of the time
by itself is a huge motivation to keep doing selfless service! Finally
and most importantly be confident, believe in yourself to make that
change you want to see.
Q: How do you understand the idea of 'reconciliation'?
A: My guru, the father of conflict transformation, Prof. John
Paul Lederach calls it "a meeting ground where trust and mercy have met,
and where justice and peace have kissed." In simpler terms, it's about
bringing people together to move them beyond the past through
re-establishing trust and normalcy, forgiving each other, in a
justifiable society where the previous belligerents would be able to
co-exist peacefully. In Sri Lanka, a successful reconciliation process
would pave way to victims and offenders of both the main fractions of
the conflict not only to co-exist peacefully but also to work for the
betterment of our next generation. It should rekindle mutual respect
among ethnicities such as Sinhala and Tamil and also among different
fractions of single ethnicities such as Northern and Southern Tamils and
Muslims.
All communities should accept ex-combatants/beneficiaries, military
and the Police, war widows and disabled into their localities with open
arms. There should be a positive atmosphere for the natural day-to-day
activities to progress without fear and prejudice. Most importantly the
youth who are cut off from the rest of the country for over two decades
and made to think the southerners were of different nature, must mingle
together and share their values and cultures to disperse the
misunderstandings. Youth Leadership is imperative to Reconcile a nation.
Even though such a process will never be achieved overnight, even small
steps taken without delay could lay a foundation for a lasting relation.
Q: Why is youth leadership imperative to reconcile a nation?
A: Youths are not just our future but also our 'present', in
the literal sense a 'gift'. The energy, vibrancy and the intellect of
them is the key to drive the Sri Lankan Reconciliation and the
Development process forward . They should take the initiative to re
establish the relations among the diverse communities in the North, East
and South by way of building bridges through sharing of resources,
cultures, values, lifestyles and thought processors which would bring
about attitudinal change within to help recognize the richness of the
diversity. It is very important our youth understand the true history of
our nation, why conflicts/internal struggle took place, the stakeholders
and their hidden agendas and the power dimensions which rekindled the
armed struggle. Knowing the true history will make you understand why
still a certain sector of our society feel deprived and unheard. It is
this feeling that we should work at to diminish.
As citizens of Sri Lanka inspite of our ethnicity, religion or cast
we must all have a sense of belonging with the feeling of been respected
and heard. We must understand that this cannot be achieved by
Development alone, there must be a 'meeting of minds' through
educational, vocational and service programs. I've also witnessed many a
times our youths explaining to their elders that naming and shaming is
not the way forward.
This is true, we must be open minded and understand the positive
results of the current reintegration system. We must not just advocate
but also be sensitive to the adoption of restorative approaches with the
understanding that the victim and the community have both been effected
by the action of the extremist LTTE and that we must help the
ex-combatants to make amends with both the victim and the community
while healing the trauma of the victim and meeting the offenders needs.
This I'm sure as my adviser, grandfather of Restorative Justice, Prof
Howard Zehr would agree with me would not only contribute to the
co-existence of the victims and ex combatants side by side but also
positively contribute to the economic and social development in our
ongoing nation building process. With the innovative ideas and projects
initiated by the network of youths and civil societies I work with
today, this process of achieving a mutual understanding and building a
nationally agreed social perception for a peaceful co-existence is
becoming a reality.
Q: What are some of the pressing issues that needs to be
addressed in the North?
A: In Vavuniya and Kilinochchi apart from infrastructure
development such as roads and housing for returning IDPs there is an
urgent need for safe houses (currently the only safe house available is
in Jaffna) for young unmarried mothers, education on sexual and
reproductive health, medical supplies, income generating activities for
war widows and disabled, education and vocational training for youths,
English and Maths teachers, extracurricular and sports activities and
religious/cultural exchange programmes in the schools, Tamil speaking
Women Police Constables, human rights training for Police and Army and
security for all including ex-combatants. In a more broader context
there is also a grave need to find a solution for the Muslims evicted
from the North as far back as 1990 and give serious effect to the
implementation of the 13th Amendment to the constitution in 1987 which
made both Sinhala and Tamil the official languages. In a more practical
sense it should be compulsory for at least two national languages and
maths to be passed in O/L s and to sing the national anthem both in
Sinhala and Tamil to have a continuous dialogue, understanding and
acceptance among the different ethnicities.
Q: Have you initiated activities to address these issues?
A: Yes. There are many programmes in the pipeline. Right now
I'm in the process of bringing together the Rotarians, Rotaractors and
Interactors to set up a vocational centre in the North with the help of
Aide Et Action, Archmage Co and US Diaspora. I have also looked into the
possibility of reviving a vocational training centre in Elenkopurm
village in Theravil GN in PTK and a cultural centre in Trincomalee
through the contribution of diplomats. The Rotary National Youth
Exchange programme which brought students from North to cities in the
South is set to launch its 2nd phase to take students from the South to
North and improve the projects implemented by the students in the 1st
phase. I'm also liaising with a US College in Boston to help conduct
English classes. Prof Rajiva Wijesinha and Rotary International
President Kalyanjee has discussed the possibilities of investing in
training teachers.
Rotary club of Colombo Mid Town has adopted the Learn and Lead
scholarship programme which provided scholarships to underprivileged
students especially in the conflict affected areas to study in reputed
institutes. Rotary clubs are also looking into the possibilities of
rehabilitating war victims by providing artificial limbs. We are also in
the 2nd stage of conducting the Rotary National Thalassemia awareness
campaign which was supported by NPIP Entertainments and in addition to
this I'm setting up the National Crohns and Colitis Association. I'm
also currently in conversation with authorities to provide vocational
training in rehabilitation centres for Juvenile victims. A group of
Indian Rotarians have also expressed their interest to conduct medical
camps in North.
The Reconciliation secretariat have begun to establish Reconciliation
units in districts and clubs in schools. These school clubs have already
begun to reach out to their sister or brother schools in the North by
way of publishing joint newspapers, cultural and vocational programmes.
We also have an active Civil Society and a Youth Forum which brings
together diplomats, principals, NGOs, INGOs, Rotary clubs and Youths to
provide solutions for pressing social issues.
The Secretariat has also proposed a National Policy on Reconciliation
with emphasis on the need of establishing an independent; institute to
seek redress stemming from deficiencies in the system of administration
and lack of good governance that affect all citizens regardless of
ethnicity, Public Service Commission to ensure that there is no
political interference in the public service and that recruitment and
promotions in the public service are in conformity with the equality
provisions in the constitution.
We also strongly propose there be independence of the judiciary and
the Police with regard to the appointment process and functioning, and
to make the public service and the police inclusive of all communities
with special attention to ensuring adequate representation of the
population in any area. I'm confident that through all of these service
projects and proposed policies we'd be able to reach out to those who
felt marginalized and direct our hearts and minds toward sustainable
peace as the Rotary International President Elect Sakuji Tanaka has set
out the new theme to be.
Q: You have received full sports colours while in school and
have also played for the university. Haven't you thought of using sports
to bring youths together?
A: Why not! All of the Youth Exchange programmes and workshops
includes a component of sport.
The Rotary National Youth Exchange participants from Mullaitivu,
Mannar, Kilinochchi, Batticaloa, Vavuniya and Jaffna had a wonderful
time and made new friends by playing cricket, Football, Volleyball,
Basketball and Elle at Royal College Colombo. We used swimming as a
relaxing exercise to wound up an exhausted day filled with lectures and
meetings. At some of these sessions we did come across naturally
talented uncut gems. Due to less sporting facilities in the schools many
have not been able to pursue their dreams much further (One of the
students in this group used a bamboo stick to practice high jump and
represented his school at the Nationals last year). The Reconciliation
Secretariat is hoping the sister/brother school adoption programme of
Southern schools by Northern schools will initiate many sporting events
as much as other resource sharing events.
Q: So the future is bright?
A: Of course! but remember it's up to us to make it as bright
as we want it to be. Peace is something we must work for even
reconciliation is an ongoing process. The government, civil societies,
private sector, media, youths and the rest of the citizens including the
diaspora must play their respective roles in making this process a
success. It's not something one sector could achieve. The root cause of
the ethnic conflict could lie in the failure of successive governments
to address the genuine grievances of the Tamil people, a political
solution would be imperative to address the causes of the conflict but
rather than pointing fingers and waiting till the other do it, we should
individually take it upon ourselves to contribute in whatever way we
can. Every little bit adds up. A collective peace achieved would have a
longer life span since the many stakeholders having a sense of ownership
would also be the guardians of it.
For more info:
www.reconciliationyouthforum.com/[email protected]
Daria White (A Bulgarian national, Ms White is a Phd candidate at
James Madison University who also holds an MA in Conflict Transformation
specializing in Peacebuilding and Trauma Healing from the Eastern
Mennonite University USA)
|