Is Sri Lanka heading for another youth insurrection? Feizal Samath reports.

Omens of a third revolution

"I was alarmed by the data that came out from the youth survey. They (youth) have no great faith and trust in the state, police or judiciary," noted Dr. Laksiri Fernando, a political scientist at the Colombo University.

"There is a grave possibility of a third insurrection in the south," he told a workshop on Sri Lankan youth held last weekend in Kandy.

The meeting, sponsored by the German-based Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, an NGO working for freedom, democracy, social justice and peace, in collaboration with the University of Colombo and allied institutions, was called to discuss a youth survey conducted and completed by the university late last year.

While the JVP and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas are recognized as the most vocal youth expression of Sri Lanka's southern and northern and eastern regions respectively, analysts say these groups don't appear to represent youth aspirations anymore.

"I feel we are moving towards a major political deadlock. The two main parties (ruling People's Alliance and the United National Party) are losing support because of the violent political culture that they have created," added Prof. Siri Hettige, a well-known sociologist and Dean of the Arts Faculty at the Colombo University.

He said the JVP was picking up votes on the basis of their arguments on political culture. "But the power they gain will be used to block economic reforms and a solution to the ethnic conflict (leading to further youth unrest). This the voters cannot prevent ... at least in the short term."

But some other researchers believe a third insurrection - whatever the youth frustrations - is unlikely to happen. "I don't think violence would be the means by which youth would try to resolve their problems," argues Karunatissa Atukorala, a sociologist at the Peradeniya University.

He told The Sunday Times that one of the reasons for this is that the state has strengthened its military might. "From one policeman/soldier per 1000 people earlier, the ratio has now increased to one policeman/soldier per 100. So the state apparatus is quite tough," he noted, adding that young people also have more freedom to express their views now. Atukorala believes frustrated youth would resort to health -related problems like depression, drug use, suicide and also more criminal activity in search of some relief. According to official figures, Sri Lanka's suicide rate, about the highest in the world in 1995 at 8,519 has fallen sharply to 5,412 in 2000 due to a mix of policy interventions by the state and the efforts of NGOs working in the field of suicide prevention.

Recurring violence during election campaigns also gave a chance for youth to get over their frustrations.

However, he highlighted a similar study on youth, undertaken in 1984, which raised concerns of a second uprising by southern youth.

"I was involved in that exercise from the Peradeniya University. At the request of the state-owned National Youth Services Council (NYSC), we undertook this comprehensive youth survey and one of the fears we expressed was the possibility of another uprising," he said.

While the then government shelved the report and didn't take the issues raised seriously, a second insurrection by the JVP did occur in 1987-1990. 

Fernando, from the University of Colombo, said the anti-systemic nature of youth, seen in this study, was nothing new and was noticed after the 1971 insurrection and the revolt in the late 1980s. "Perhaps what is new about the present and study is the uncovering of many facets of this orientation and most importantly, the fact that these tendencies are still prevalent and perhaps more acute than before. The latter fact is politically alarming and the possibility of a third insurrection cannot be discarded."

In the 2000 National Youth Survey undertaken by the Colombo University, one of the questions asked from the 3000-odd respondents was whether violence was a means to achieve political ends. A majority of the youth (63 percent) felt it was not proper to resort to an armed struggle but a substantial minority (31 percent) favoured the idea.

"While there is a gender difference in the responses, i.e. more males than females agree with an armed struggle, the gap is not very wide. It is also interesting that there is no significant difference between the urban and rural respondents, though more respondents (of Indian-origin) from the estate of sector tend to support an armed struggle," the survey reported.

The survey which was conducted across the island including the north and east excluded areas in these two regions which are controlled by the LTTE.

It also found that support for an armed struggle was increasing with education, the highest level of 40.5 percent recorded for university graduates. "As is well known, many youth who joined the armed struggle in the south were educated youth, many with university education."

Dr. Yuvi Thangarajah, Dean of the Arts Faculty at the Eastern University, believes militant Tamil groups may have lost their youth base.

"One of the biggest problems youth have, at least those whom I have met in the east, is the harassment and inconvenience in their daily lives," he said, adding that they were most interested in these issues rather than political ones.

"They perceive discrimination or harassment at military checkpoints, inability to get out at night etc., as the main problems. These are children who have grown up during the 18-year long war and look at problems created by the war scenario rather than the political struggle by the LTTE," he said, adding that this worried militant groups.

But he pointed out that while in a hypothetical sense, the majority response in the survey was negative as to whether violence is legitimate, most people believe it is legitimate.

"In response to a direct question, they would tell you no .... violence is not the way. But unofficially they would tell you violence is a legitimate way - when there is no other option - to win demands."

The survey noted that there was ample evidence from the data on a whole range of issues that many people didn't have any trust, faith or confidence in leaders, public institutions, law enforcement authorities, etc.

It revealed that only 26 percent of the respondents - on the level of trust in state institutions like the military, judiciary, police and bureaucracy - had a "great deal" of trust in these institutions. The rest - more than 70 percent - had "somewhat" or no trust at all in these institutions. The same responses were given when asked about their views on political institutions. 

"Most youth feel that society is not just and the fruits of economic development by and large go to the privileged and the politically powerful who are perceived by the youth to be excessively privileged," it said, noting that this state of affairs - which could precipitate a third revolution, according to political scientists - deserved serious attention.

Lankan touch in churches

By Ruwanthi Herat Gunaratne

The 'liyawel' chalice, part of the Archdiocese of Colombo's efforts to introduce the rich culture of Lanka to worship in churches, will be one of the sacred vessels on display in 'Vikalpa Designs', an exhibition of vessels, tabernacles and church décor now being held in Colombo. By exhibiting vessels, and decorations used in churches across the country, the Catholic Church is seeking people's views and comments on the proposed changes to the liturgical service. 

"The objective is to bring our worship close to our culture by introducing local signs and symbols on the sacred vessels that we use for worship," said Revd. Fr. C. Joy Perera, the Archdiocesan Coordinator for Liturgy.

"Through the exhibition we hope to show the people what we would like to do and to seek both their approval and comments," Fr. Perera said. He hopes the exhibition will draw Catholics closer to their religion.

At Catholic weddings for instance, churches are customarily decorated with flowers and the exhibition attempts to introduce other ways and means of decoration, like banners with religious symbols. The exhibition which is on from November 10 - 14 at the Archbishop's House, Colombo 8 will display vessels, tabernacles and alternative decorations.

Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara