Policy framework to cement social integration

‘Difference between city and village should be addressed’ :

Sandasen MARASINGHE

All members of society including politicians, religious leaders as well as ambassadors, should play an active role in facilitating social integration, eliminating existing divisions, without trying to exploit these divisions for petty political and other gain, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.

He made this observation at the inauguration ceremony of the Social Integration Week at Temple Trees. President Rajapaksa said national integration itself was insufficient to preserve the victory we gained.

“This is why the government has taken another step forward to build up social integration by launching the Social Integration Policy Framework.”

He said steps were also taken to establish the Social Integration Ministry replacing the National Integration Ministry. President Rajapaksa said almost all religions preach all people are equal.

He said certain politicians were responsible for promoting religious, racial, caste, creed and language discord to secure power during elections which should not be the case.

President Rajapaksa said ambassadors also have to take measures to eliminate divisions in society.

He said the difference between the city and the village should also be addressed.

President Rajapaksa said, however, most suggestions in the Social Integration Policy Framework had been implemented by the government in advance.

He said for social integration, the government made provisions for A-L students in Kilinochchi with three S passes to enter the Medical Faculty while some students with two A passes and one S pass in Colombo are unable to gain entrance.

The President said for social integration, the government has held examinations only in Tamil language in the North and East Provinces to recruit officers for government institutions.

He said measures are underway to conduct examinations only in Tamil language to recruit cadre for civil administration.

He said measures have been taken to recruit personnel from the area for the agriculture sector, Police and many other fields to serve in the North and East.

President Rajapaksa said people in their own area would not face any issue with regard to language then. The President said nobody had made such a suggestion even to the LLRC. He said all religious festivals are held at Temple Trees without regard for differences to convey a message to the entire society that this is the right time for us to get together and integrate the society to go forward in the path to form citizens with a wide vision. President Rajapaksa said divisions begin from a young age when they enter Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim schools.

“Some say we need a Muslim school, some others say we do not need Sinhala or Muslim schools but a Tamil School. Then we finally attempt at integration,” he said and asked: “Who does this?” The President said during the period of D M Rajapaksa and DA Rajapaksa, a motion was moved in Parliament to make provisions for villagers in their areas to cover the upper part of the body. He said this was done for social integration.

He said in the 1970s, he attempted to move a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament to change the surname of some of the people in this country as they had separate surnames due to the employment they were engaged in. The President said this however did not materialise. He said changes like this were not difficult for people like him who had a Left backgrounds.