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Children
grill ministers, seek tougher laws Planned and
organised by children themselves, the event centred on children's
problems and rights. The issues discussed ranged from education,
health needs, protection, abuse and exploitation and the importance
of participation. About 70 children from all corners of Sri Lanka
assembled at the BMICH on Wednesday to air their problems and opinions
to adult delegates representing the government and non-government
sectors. The launch
of the UNICEF State of the World Children 2003 report provided not
only a platform for children to discuss their concerns with the
decision makers such as ministers, but also a basis for the dialogue
to continue in the future. The children
were impressive as they grilled the adult delegates with a flurry
of questions over one and half hours. The child delegates urged
the authorities to close the loopholes in the law to curb crimes
related to child abuse and exploitation. Education Minister
Karunasena Kodituwa-kku and Mass Communication Minister Imthiaz
Bakeer Markar together with secretaries to the Ministries of Health,
Education, Social Welfare, Women's Affairs, the Commissioner of
Child Care and Probation and the Chairman of the National Child
Protection Authority answered the queries raised by the children.
UNICEF's Sri Lanka Representative Ted Chaiban said the two ministers
were invited because communication and education were such important
elements of child participation. "Listening to the opinion
of children does not mean simply endorsing their views. Rather,
engaging them in dialogue and exchange allows them to learn constructive
ways of influencing the world around them." He said child
participation should be encouraged for growth and development and
this should start in the early childhood years. Sri Lanka was
among the examples cited in the report, which stressed the importance
of child participation. A project in Sri Lanka by Save the Children
(Norway) and its local partner, the Eastern Self-Reliant and Community
Awakening Organisation (ESCO) had shown that children's participation
in conflict zones can help protect them, the report said. In one instance,
the Children's Club had gathered signatures of all the residents
of Sivanthivu on a petition against the Sri Lankan Army Commander's
decision to block the road to their village. The commander's
decision not only affected the children who travelled by bus to
nearby schools in Valaichchenai, but also exposed children who walked
or cycled to schools to harassment by soldiers. The petition by the Children's Club was then passed on by NGO workers to raise the matter with the army at a senior level. The road was reopened eventually, according to the report. BOI
bill passed amid calls for de-merger When Minister
G.L. Peiris presented the second reading of the Bill in Parliament
on Wednesday, JVP parliamentarian Vijitha Herath, on behalf of the
opposition, moved an amendment to the Bill to create two separate
commissions for the North and East. However, when
a vote was taken in support of this amendment, the government defeated
it with 110 members voting against it. MEP leader
and PA parliamentarian Dinesh Gunawardene said the north and east
consisted almost one third of the country and it was impossible
for one regional commission to look after the work of such a commission.
The new Act provided among others for the establishments of the regional economic commissions and the repeal of the Board of Sri Lanka Investment Law No.4 of 1978. The five regional
commissions created were for the western region, the southern region,
the north-east region, the central region and the North Western
region. The commissions are required to monitor and facilitate the setting up and expansion of industrial, agricultural and business enterprises within the respective region and to develop and manage sites, zones, ports, estates and other premises and infrastructure needs for industries, agriculture and business. |
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