Females finally win the race

By Faraza Farook

Census chief Wimal Nanayakkara said that in the 18 districts that were surveyed this year some 400,000 people had migrated and a majority were males except to West Asia where women figured more.

Significantly the number of males is higher than females at the time of birth but the balance gradually shifts due to more male deaths at the time of birth factors like war or other dangers.

According to the Colombo University's Demography professor, Indralal de Silva, the male child succumbs faster to infections than the female. This trend is carried to childhood too. 

While male deaths are mainly due to congenital problems, the suicide rate among male youth is also reported to be comparatively higher and the war is another facet to the declining male rate. Prof. de Silva said it appeared females were more capable of adjusting to life and the environment .

"As a result, females in the 20-30 age group are faced with an acute shortage of males to marry," he said. 

Thus, they married men who were much older or younger - a practice that is often not sanctioned by Sri Lankan society. Thus so many women remain unmarried.

Where art thou, ye human rights crusaders?

Of course, even some United States' allies say that more definitive proof is needed to implicate the Saudi born, Afghan based terrorist but then none are so enlightened as those who wish to see and that includes George W. Bush who said that bin Laden was "wanted, alive or dead". Now, the man has not had a fair trial and has not even been formally charged with the misdeeds of September 11, but the President of the United States has decreed death upon him. Just for a moment imagine President Kumaratunga declaring that Prabhakaran was wanted "alive or dead" after the Katunayake incident. Ah, there they would have been Amnesty International, the Red Cross, Eric Solheim, maybe even the United Nations calling for "restraint" and voicing "grave concern" regarding the "deteriorating situation" in Sri Lanka". But now where art thou, ye human rights crusaders? What do we find instead? Almost the entire western world falling over each other to support the US-led "coalition against terrorism" and people in Pakistan scurrying for cover in fear of retaliatory attacks. What of their human rights? What of the enormous civilian casualties that would undoubtedly result if the US attacks Afghanistan? And, why are those who were so concerned about a military onslaught in Jaffna so deafening in their silence now? And that is why "serves them right" or "honda wedey" about sums up the average man's response in Sri Lanka to these events in America. 

For instance, when the Central Bank in Colombo or the airport at Katunayake was attacked, the perpetrators were "Tamil rebels fighting for a separate state", not "terrorists". And what did the West in general say after each of these and many other escapades of terror in Sri Lanka? "While we condemn the attack, we urge both sides in the conflict to act with restraint and pursue a negotiated settlement." or words to that effect. 

All that was until Uncle Sam felt the pinch on 11th Tuesday. Then, what did Mr. Bush say? Of course, these people were terrorists said he and declared that they "will be hunted and punished". Those who harbour them are not different from them, he warned. Never mind that Tamil "rebels" were harboured by America for a decade and a half-until they finally decided to ban them. 

America at least did that. Other nations- Canada, France and Norway for example- are blatantly harbouring them even now. Ah, for them to graduate to the 'terrorist" rank, maybe they need to ram a jet into the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees until then "rebels" they shall be! As for Mr. President Bush, while we must condemn the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon we must urge both sides in the conflict to act with restraint and pursue a negotiated settlement! And, just for the record, it may be worthwhile issuing a travel advisory urging Sri Lankans not to travel to the US too! 

A test for JVP's sincerity

By Victor Ivan 

There are significant differences between the conditions included in the agreement and those included in the programme publicised by the JVP before it started discussions with the government. Let us first consider the conditions in the agreement.

Although the JVP tries to show that cancellation of the referendum and resummoning of parliament before September 7 were a victory, it cannot be considered an important victory for the people. The government cancelled the referendum because of public protests in the country. 

If resummoning of parliament had taken place just after the prorogation, then it could be said it was a victory for the JVP. But it took place just one day before the scheduled day of September 7. Astrological advice that September 7 was an inauspicious day could be a more likely cause than the JVP demand for the resummoning of parliament on September 6.

The next condition that has pleased the JVP is the reduction of the cabinet to 20. The question arises whether it was a JVP initiative or it was a case of the JVP demanding the PA to implement its 1994 election promise. This is what the PA manifesto says on the subject: 

"The irresponsible and vulgar record of the UNP's criminal expenditure of a large some of money to raise the living standards of the politicians of the ruling party is unparalleled in any other country. More than Rs. 2000 million is spent annually for the payment of salaries and allowances of 91 ministers alone. 

"We promise the people that the government of the People's Alliance will not appoint more than 20 ministers. The resources so saved will be used for the benefit of the people."

There weren't 91 ministers in the Wijetunga cabinet or in the Premadasa cabinet. The number of ministers including the President in the Wijetunga government in August 1993 was 25. The number of ministers including the President in the Premadasa government of 1991 was 22. 

When the PA said there were 91 ministers in the UNP government, it took into consideration not only the cabinet ministers but also all the deputy ministers and the project ministers too. It means that when the PA promised 20 ministers it should have included not only the cabinet but all the ministers including the deputy ministers. It means that the total number of the ministers and the deputy ministers should be 20. However, the JVP, by its probationary programme appears to have permitted about double the number promised by the PA. 

The other factor that would have a beneficial effect on the country and which is the most important one in the probationary programme is the setting up of independent commissions through the 17th Amendment. According to Section 5 of the PA-JVP memorandum of understanding, the 17th Amendment which envisages the setting up of the constitutional council and independent commissions for public service, the judiciary, elections and the police should be passed before tomorrow. The constitutional council must be established before October 5. However the agreement contains a controversial provision which brings the 17th Amendment into doubt. 

The proposal for the constitutional council and the four independent commissions included in the 17th Amendment is not one that has come from the political parties but was an idea emanated from members of civil society. This idea was backed by all opposition political parties, including the UNP and the JVP. 

The idea that a constitutional council should be set up and the right to select and appoint members of the four independent commissions and of other institutions that will come under the constitutional council came up due to alleged abuse of power by heads of state when top posts were filled. Some of these political appointees had become tools to serve the narrow political interests of the executive, it is alleged. 

If the JVP succeeds in getting the council and commissions to work towards the objectives expected of them, then the credit should go to the JVP. But if the probationary programme is going to bring a puppet constitutional council which the executive can manipulate easily, then the independent commissions will fail entirely and if that happens the JVP also will have to share a major part of the discredit and dishonour. 

The composition of the constitutional council has stirred a major debate. To achieve this, the President has floated a proposal through the JVP that she also must be allowed to nominate a member to the council, to which both the Prime Minister and the Opposition leader will also nominate three members each. It is not known that the JVP has followed a policy of objecting to it with all its might in view of the viciousness of the proposal. 

If moves to strengthen democracy through the constitutional council and independent commissions are stifled by politics, then what the country will get is a distorted system that will only help the government in office. If the JVP lends its support to such a programme, the JVP will be held responsible for the denial of the opportunity that existed to get a system to promote democracy and good governance.

The writer is the Editor of Ravaya

Twin towers - the numerological explanation

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