'Collective effort, key to reconciliation'

Former Advisor to the External Affairs Ministry Dr. A. Rohan Perera, PC, said the pursuit of peace and reconciliation is a goal of such importance that it cannot be left solely in the hands of the government. It requires a collective effort with the active involvement of all segments of society.

The Annual Prize Giving of S. Thomas’ Preparatory School, Kollupitiya was held at the college auditorium recently. Here, Head Master N.Y. Casie Chetty pins the J.T.R. Perinpanayagam Memorial Gold Medal for the Best All-Round Student on J.A. Lyman.

Dr. Perera, who was the Chief Guest at the annual Prize Giving of the S. Thomas' Preparatory School, Kollupitiya, said the civil society and the youths have a vital role to play at this critical moment. It is apt to recall what is stated in the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), on achieving post-conflict reconciliation.

"The development of a vision of a shared future requires the involvement of the whole of society. The culture of suspicion, fear, mistrust and violence need to be removed and opportunities and space opened up in which people can hear each other. A culture of respect for human rights and human diversity needs to be developed, creating an environment where each citizen becomes an active participant in society and feels a sense of belonging, of being Sri Lankan."

In achieving these objectives, a liberal school environment is an imperative, the starting point, where children begin to appreciate the rich diversity of society, the commonalities of diverse religions and cultures whilst also understanding their points of divergence, he said.

Dr. Perera said what is needed from a young age, is a sense of engagement where individuals reach out to each other, try to understand each other's cultural background, their viewpoint on an issue and to strive to find some common ground, rather than try to exclude or drown out the voice of the other, due to "cross-cultural ignorance."

Religious leaders and teachers have an onerous responsibility and a crucial role to perform, as they have been doing. The compulsory teaching of each other's language is essential to create an environment conducive to reconciliation among the young generation. This must be supported by adequate resources being devoted to the effective implementation of the "Trilingual Policy" on which much emphasis is being placed currently. A common dialect naturally enhanced mutual understanding, he said. Every encouragement must be given for greater interaction among students through diverse mechanisms to inculcate a mutual understanding and an appreciation of the rich cultural diversity of Sri Lanka, he said.