08th, September 1996

A workshop on child labour conducted by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has formulated a programme to eliminate child labour in Sri Lanka, officials said

According to a 1990 Survey 42,309 children between the ages of 10 and 14 years were engaged in child labour, 24,279 of them male and 18,030 female children.

Dr. A.J. Weeramunda, of the University of Colombo said in a paper recently that a majority of child laborers (95%) were between 10 and 14 years of age. Although they are minors, their parents believe work at an early age would prevent the children from becoming social misfits or deviants.

According to the study (75%) comprising male children took on family responsibilities by working. Female children, on the other hand, would give up work once they attained puberty indicating certain cultural limits on female child labour.

A large majority (70%) had both parents living an did not come from broken homes although 21% had lost their fathers and 9% their mothers.

However fathers addicted to liquor or gambling compelled children to find work. Inadequacy of social security for families in crisis was, another factor, Dr. Weeramunda said.

Children often work as many hours if not more than adults - 21% worked 25 hours, 26% up to 50 hours and 41% up to 100 hours per week, he said.

Meanwhile, the International Labour Organisation wants the government to sign an agreement with it to extend the operation of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) in Sri Lanka.

The ILO which began work under IPEC in Sri Lanka, is hoping to start its activities after the government signs the memorandum. The ILO with the assistance of the Ministry of Labour which held a national planning workshop on child labour, last week recommended a plan of action on child labour in Sri Lanka.

Ms. M. Horiuchi, Assistant Director-General ILO activities in Asia and the Pacific, told the workshop that child labour is a serious social problem in Sri Lanka.

According to Ms. Horiuchi the conference, discussed mainly the improvement and simplification in legislation concerning child labour, education on the subject, prevention of child labour, immediate withdrawal of children from hazardous, work improvement in working condition of children and awareness programs.

The IPEC which was launched by the ILO in 1992 is operational in more than 20 countries. ILO estimate that worldwide there are nearly 200 million children engaged in child labour

By Shayamal Collure

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday described the United National Party as the only party which could take the country to the 21st century and its doors are now being opened to the youth.

Mr. Wickremesinghe addressing the UNP's golden jubilee celebration held opposite the Colombo Municipal Council, said that as their past leaders had done, they would be working to hand over the party to the new generation.

Senior party members including former Presidents J. R. Jayewardene and D. B. Wijetunga and former Ministers A. C. S. Hameed, E. L. Senanayake, E. L. B. Hurulle, A. F. Wijemanna, Wijepala Mendis, P. C. Imbulana, Indradasa Hettiarachchi, Ms. Wimala Kannangara and former Speaker, Bakeer Markar were presented with the 'Swarna Manjusa' award for their services to the UNP.

Mr. Wickremesinghe said the challenge of today was the future. In this context it is highly pertinent to look back at the past when the party was celebrating the 50th anniversary.

"We have to learn lessons from the past. Political parties make right as well as wrong decisions. But weak political parties cover them up instead of correcting them. The ideas of the masses change with changing times. New faces join the population. What was accepted yesterday is not accepted today. What was not accepted then is accepted now.

"Therefore the UNP should be given a new outlook, which would strengthen the party," he said.

"The UNP in its long run in politics has not lost sight of the main objectives with which it was formed at Palm Court Mansion on September 6, 1946 to uphold democracy and preserve the Sri Lankan identity," he said.

"Sometimes political parties and politicians distance themselves from the general public, but where the UNP is concerned, as in the past, it will continue to serve the people," Mr. Wickremesinghe emphasized. He pledged that the UNP would be committed to decent and democratic politics.

"Democracy and rights of the people have to be strengthened further. Powers of the government had to be reduced and more power has to be placed in the hands of the people. In 1946, we only had to think of Sri Lanka, but today we have to think of the whole world. The country can march forward only if it has a strong economy," Mr. Wickremesinghe said vowing that the UNP would take the country to the new world.

He said that it was the UNP which introduced the country to the outside world and the outside world to Sri Lanka.

Party General Secretary Gamini Athukorale, party Chairman, Dr. Karu Jayasuriya, Tyronne Fernando, P. Dayaratne, Dr. Karunasena Kodithuwakku, Ms. Renuka Herath, Ms. R. Pulendran and Imithiyas Bakeer Markar also spoke.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed an agreement with the Sri Lankan government to donate US $ 267,000 for the development and rehabilitation of the Jaffna Peninsula.

This came as a response to an appeal made by President Chandrika Kumaratunga to the international donors in June.

The UNDP believes that its support will enable the relevant local authorities to formulate a more comprehensive set of proposals to attract more international funds for the development of the Peninsula.

The UNDP said that this aid to the Sri Lankan government to assist the population of Jaffna, was to help people restart their lives.

This assistance by the UNDP is on a humanitarian basis, similar to their support in various other areas in the southern part of Sri Lanka and in the hill country.

By Kshalini Nonis

About 15,000 children are engaged in the sex trade, with the majority of them (80%) being males, according to a study carried out by the P.E.A.C.E. (Protecting Environment and Children Everywhere)

One of the main reasons for Sri Lanka being described as a "haven" for paedophiles and other sex offenders is the lack of law enforcement.

Child sex offenders who prey on children enter the country on easily obtainable "Tourist Visas" and mingle casually with holiday makers. The poorest of the poor even welcome these guests who are generous providers even while they abuse the boy children of these families with impunity.

Some rent houses and reside for long periods on regularly renewed visas or overstay without a qualm. They invest in small business enterprises along with local partners as a ploy to obtain "business visas" and stay even longer periods in the country.

According to the report Sri Lanka was fast becoming well known among certain circles in Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA as an easy and cheap source for young boys.

The study adds that young boys, usually with histories of broken homes, physical and emotional deprivation and insecurity are easily attracted to prostitution.

These children are brought from remote villages to the hinterland on the false pretext of job opportunities. But instead they end up in "safe houses" of local or foreign paedophiles.

According to the study, the "magnet" which draws children into the trap is money, which exchanges hands from the client to the child, or more often from the client to the pimp/procurer. Money and goodies baubles, however cheap and tawdry, are the main sources of attraction.

It was also found that child prostitutes of a particular area where tourist trade flourishes are not from the locality itself but are brought from nearby rural villages. For e.g., child prostitutes in Kalutara are mostly from Horana and Matugama. In Mount Lavinia they are from Kesbewa and Piliyandala and in Negombo they are from Katana and Minuwangoda. Child prostitutes in Hikkaduwa are from Baddegama and Elpitiya, while in Chilaw they are from Bingiriya and Horatapola.

There have also been instances where children have been mainly trafficked to European countries by foreign paedophiles, in the guise of 'adoption'. But today with stringent laws pertaining to the "adoption of children by foreigners" this has been minimized.

The study shows that child prostitution is predominant in Hikkaduwa, Ambalangoda, Galle and Negombo. Over the past two or three decades "colonies" of child abusers, with local assistance have set themselves up in these areas among the poorer community.

These colonies are protected by their own 'mafias'. Milla Colony houses, in Negombo, according to the study, houses some of these people who, like migrant birds, return every year for at least three to six months. Many cases of mysterious deaths and disappearances of children have been reported from Hikkaduwa.

Meanwhile paedophiles have entrenched themselves in the Ambalangoda town precincts mainly due to week law enforcement. It is not easy to arrest tourists even for water-tight offenses.

These foreigners have also gained certain amount of local support, with political patronage. Social activists and the police are therefore unable to do much in the face of these developments.

Two senior Sri Lankan journalists have complained they were insulted, ill-treated and virtually imprisoned at Bahrain Airport on their way to and from Iran recently.

The Sunday Times Chief Sub Editor Ameen Izzadeen and Lakbima News Editor M. S. M. Aiyoob are to lodge a formal complaint with the Foreign Ministry and are considering legal action against Gulf Air for the harassment and humiliation they suffered.

The two journalists see the trauma at Bahrain as an insult to basic human rights accepted by civilized nations.

The torture began when the two journalists arrived in Bahrain via Muscat from Colombo. According to the travel agent's voucher which was prepared in consultation with Gulf Air, the two Lankans were to be booked in at Gulf Gate Hotel, Bahrain as they had to wait for 18 hours before they emplane the Gulf Air flight to Tehran the following day.

They had thus directed their baggage to Bahrain from Colombo. At the Bahrain Airport, the two journalists handed over their applications for temporary visa so that they could go out and stay in the hotel until they board the flight to Tehran.

The immigration officials upon knowing that they were journalists and going to Iran, refused permission to leave the airport. When they asked for the reason, the official bluntly said "no reason."

The two journalists then turned to Gulf Air officials who simply said "if the goverment refuses to give you visas, there was hardly anything we could do, except booking you at a motel inside the airport."

From this point onwards the duo were left to themselves.

The two journalists soon found out that there were no rooms available at the airport motel until some Indian Airlines passengers whose flight was delayed due to a technical fault, checked out.

The journalists' plea to the Gulf Air officials fell on deaf ears. When they protested and pointed out that it was Gulf Air's duty to see to the welfare of the passengers, the officials became very rude and shouted back at them in front of hundreds of other passengers.

The duo were forced to spend the night without a wink of sleep on the transit lounge in the midst of blaring flight announcements and other noises. The Sunday Times journalist who was in pain owing to a toe infection, for which he had to undergo surgery in Tehran, was hoping to get into his slippers to give relief to his aching foot.

The duo attempted to get their baggages so that they could get their change-over clothes but the Gulf Air officials frustrated them. So they had to board the Tehran flight with the same crushed and dirty clothes they were wearing. When the Airport motel rooms were made available to them, thanks to some Indian employees of the motel, it was well past 12 noon the following day.

On their return from Tehran, a worse situation greeted them again at the Bahrain Airport.

They were to board the Bahrain-bound flight from Tehran on August 29 at 5 pm and to take the Colombo flight a couple of hours after they arrived in Bahrain. But the Gulf Air flight was delayed for more than four hours at Tehran. When the Lankans arrived in Bahrain they found the Colombo flight had already taken off. The two journalists again had to apply for visas for them to be put up in a hotel outside but their applications were not only rejected but they were torn off in their face by Bahrain immigration authorities.

Again, upon request they were given the airport motel only to be turned back with a 'no-rooms available' answer.

This time the two journalists had to wait nearly 24 hours at the Airport with no change-over clothes.

An assistant secretary of agriculture, now a top official of the Rupavahini Corporation, has been found guilty of corruption after an inquiry by a senior assistant secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Forestry.

A letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs from the agriculture ministry states that the officer has been found guilty on evidence from documents submitted, statement of witnesses and on the report of the investigating officer.

One of the charges alleges he had received a commission of Rs.156, 175.

By Arshad M. Hadjirin

Tension is building up in Negombo town, following last week's clashes between UNP and PA party members.

There are also indications there could be serious repercussions if political thuggery goes unchecked.

Speaking to 'The Sunday Times' parish priest Father Hugo Palihawadana said he had received several death threats since Friday morning asking him to call off the special service, to be held on Saturday, at St. Mary's Church. This is no political gathering and that I am acting on guidance from the Archbishop's House.

"On Saturday, few hours before the service was to take place about fifteen people entered the church premises, destroyed the decorations and threatened the assistant parish priest who was in prayers, saying 'there would be seven to eight deaths right here if the service is not called off'."

Father Palihawadana also said this service was similar to that held at Nittambuwa to celebrate the 80th birthday of Premier Sirima Bandaranaike and he couldn't see any reason why PA party supporters wanted to disrupt the prayer.

The disruption of the church service has been linked to the death of a PA supporter, F.F. Shelton (Brito) allegedly killed by a UNPer, the night before (Friday). But according to Father Palihawadana, he had been getting threatening calls since Friday morning.

The death of Brito had created havoc among the people of Kochchikade where he had been a popular figure.

Meanwhile the funeral of Ranjan Fernando (Jude), a UNPer who also died in the shoot-out on Friday night, had been on a low key. His wife H.M. Wimali Perera, told 'The Sunday Times' Jude was seldom involved in politics and he had been working abroad most of the time.

According to family members, a good friend of Jude had wanted him to help with the decorations for the 50th anniversary of UNP and both of them had set off to decorate the St. Mary's Church and then headed towards Kurana Katunayake for further decoration work.

What exactly happened at Kurana Katunayake on Friday is still not clear, but Jude and another staunch PA supporter were killed in a shoot out, around 10 p.m. Who provoked the incident or why they were shot are not known. None of the eye witnesses have given an account of what happened and the police are yet to give the full story.

It is alleged that UNP Provincial Councilor Davindra Mendis' security guard had shot F.F. Shelton (Brito). The security guard's explanation was that Brito had tried to attack Davindra.

Meanwhile all these events on Friday night had something in store for the next day.

Father Palihawadana who didn't expect a sequel to the incident on Saturday afternoon, was forced to witness a person on top of the 150-year-old, Holy Cross which stands right in front of the church. "He was shouting in utter filth abusing the priests for holding the special service."

"Angry PA supporters had burned tires on the streets of Negombo and in front of the church. The service was called off when UNP, MP John Amaratunga came to the scene and asked me to cancel the service", said the parish priest.

Jude, 35, leaves a wife and a two-year-old child. Brito, 42, is survived by his wife, two sons aged 17, 15 and a daughter aged 11. Both families agree on one thing: they will not work for politicians anymore.