Petaling Jaya, Malaysia – We will be fifteen years old on October 10, 2016. It is hard to believe that 15 years ago, we started this platform on the heels of the Bamiyan Buddha destruction.
I remember clearly that day on February 2001, reading a note posted on a forum which discusses Asian biodiversity. A Pakistani entomologist wrote that he heard on the radio that the head of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Mullah Mohamed Omar had issued a decree to destroy the 2,000 years old Buddha carved out of mountains in the valley of Bamiyan. With that one decree, which the mullah described the Buddhas as un-Islamic”, he made famous these giant artefacts which until then not many – not even Buddhists – had ever heard of.
I remember trying to dig out whatever information about the Bamiyan Buddhas on the internet. In those early days, Google was still very much an infant and whatever information that could be found was scant. There was no social media to share the news.
When I tried to alert local Buddhist organizations to lobby for protests, none seem interested. I don’t see any news on the media about this. Could be just a rumour,” said a local leader. Let’s just see what our government says. Then we will issue a statement,” said another.
And that was the problem. There was little information of the Buddhas on mainstream media. And since the matter bore direct relevance to Buddhism, we were at the losing end.
Global mainstream media are controlled by Christian and Muslim interests. Some Buddha stones carved on hills in some remote country carry little significance for them. Remember, this incident was pre 9/11. And Afghanistan was as interesting to western media as some penguins in Antarctica.
At that time, only the governments of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan – sunni Muslim nations – issued official protests to Afghanistan. Ultimately, the pleas failed. On March 10, 2001, the Buddhas were dynamited.
As the icons of 2,000 years came crashing down, it gave rise to the Buddhist News Network (BNN)”. A platform to deliver news to serve Buddhist interest worldwide was born.
It was not until October 10, 2001 when BNN was officially registered. By that time, Afghanistan was in turmoil, as the country bore the brunt of western forces for harboring parties deemed responsible for the September 11 attacks in New York.
9/11 became impetus for BNN to make its mark globally. For the first time, our content team scoured opinions and op-eds by western Buddhists on the tragic event. These efforts opened up access to Buddhist views from those in the western hemisphere. BNN, which was later rebranded as The Buddhist Channel, became a global name.
What do we actually do?
Here is a surprising primer: Many do not know what we actually do. Most see us as a news portal, serving Buddhist interests. We are known as a non-sectarian news aggregator”, meaning we cover news from all mainstream Buddhist schools – Mahayana (including Zen), Theravada and Vajrayana, which is well and good. But truth be told, we are far more than that.
Due to funding limitation, we do not have a full time news agency setup. Although an International Advisory Panel” exists, it is more for consultation purposes.
The operation is entirely run from the Bodhi Vision office in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, with technical support provided in Dessau, Germany. Everything is done on a voluntary basis. We receive no monies for our effort and all expenses are borne by volunteers.
So apart from news aggregation, what we do really well is to spot” issues, and to highlight matters which impact Buddhist interests.
As mentioned earlier, Christians and Muslims (or the West and Middle East) have very strong global media networks. We have none. The strong ones that we have are either sectarian inclined (for example Tzu Chi, Fo Guang Shan), western centric (see Tricycle, Lion’s Roar or Shambala) or regional (such a television channels serving local viewers in Sri Lanka, Thailand and South Korea).
Buddhists do not have an equivalent to Al-Jazeera or Christian Science Monitor. While there have been calls in Sri Lanka and Thailand to establish a global Buddhist media, these remain words, not deeds.
We do not claim to be a forefront in Buddhist media. We do not even pretend to be. Our limited funding is scarcely enough to keep up with server maintenance and basic operations.
But whatever limitation we face financially, we double up with effort. And in these 15 years, we can say that our network of partners developed and reputation have been excellent.
And so to assist newcomers to the Buddhist Channel (and to refresh our regular readers), we hereby present to you a list of our key contributions and achievements spread over 15 years of service to the world community.
The Buddhist Channel has a daily page views of 7,500 per day, with 2,300 unique visitors on a daily basis
Our biggest viewer base is from the United States of America.
Our news coverage on the American sub-continent is the most organized of any other media groups, breaking down the region into the US Northeast, South, Midwest, Central, Southwest, West and Canada, with a regional presence based in San Francisco.
We have gone to the ground, reporting major events which have impact on Buddhist interests. Among major events covered are:
Bamiyan Buddhas destructions in 2001 (or failure to prevent)
Katrina hurricane in New Orleans, bringing up-to-the minute info for Vietnamese monks caught in the flooding
Exposing cults and wayward Sangha (we DO NOT like to do this, but as responsible media, we need to). Prominent ones include Edo Shonin (which we were served legal letters) and Eido Shimano
Role of Sangha in local politics, for better or for worse (specifically in Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka)
Gender equality for women in Buddhist sangha
Provide exposure to minority Buddhist groups facing persecution, namely the Chakmas (India), Chittagong Hill tribes (Bangladesh) and the Dalits (India).
Annual Vesak celebrations globally, country by country
Attend major gatherings such as INEB, World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB), United Nations Day of Vesak and other major global and regional conferences in Asia and Oceana
Co-sponsored events such as Global Conference on Buddhism (GCB) and Wesak International Film Festival (WIFF)
We scour for news on small events, namely meditation retreats and Dharma gatherings in non-Buddhist countries or Buddhists in remote locations, so as to provide optimum publicity to help boost attendance.
Despite limited funding, we have sponsored the following:
Authors and monks (from the United States) to visit Malaysia
Participation to the Mindfulness and Mindful Communication for ASEAN Integration Symposium” in Bangkok (2015)
Publication of books by Ven Song Hue (Korea) and a Japanese translation of Who is the Buddha?”, the last Dhamma discourse by the Late Ven Dr. K Sri Dhammananda.
Websites for Wesak International Film Festival (WIFF), Dhamma Aid Asia (http://dhammaaid.org/), and also subsidized web development costs for numerous Buddhist societies, special events and organizations.
The Buddhist Channel was invited by The Rt Hon Baroness Warsi PC to Whitehall, London on June 13, 2011, to attend a celebratory reception organized by HM British Government in recognition of our contribution to the Buddhist community in the UK.
Moving forward, we will strive to improve our services through the adoption of new technologies. A Buddhist Channel app is on the drawing board. We are also planning for an E-Publishing program using AppBooks. These ideas, however, are subject to availability of funds. We will remain true to our motto of providing services without burdening the communities which we serve. This we will hold dear to our heart.
Thank you for your continued support. May the Buddha Dharma ever protect you and your loved ones.
‘We will protect them with our hearts and souls… we will never again in any future conflicts let those activists, left-wing, human rights lawyers harangue and harass the bravest of the brave, the men and women of our armed forces” thus thundered Britain’s Theresa May to an audience that clapped every word. That was Britain defending troops sent to fight illegal wars! We now come to Sri Lanka – the Sri Lankan Armed Forces defended the nation & its citizens & eliminated the ground force of an internationally proscribed terrorist organization while simultaneously carrying out a humanitarian rescue operation saving close to 300,000 and what is the outcome – the current government has co-sponsored the Geneva Resolution agreeing to War Crimes Tribunal that would place the army that defended the nation on the dock as war criminals. The yahapalana government has chosen not to stand by its troops and tell the world to produce the evidence first as well as to say any evidence produced will be heard only under domestic laws of sovereign Sri Lanka. The whole world must be laughing at us for not defending our army, the ONLY ARMY to have militarily defeated an international terrorist organization.
From 1990 Britain has been involved in a series of illegal wars together with US and NATO. These countries include Yugoslavia, Angola, Mozambique, Liberia, Zaire, Sudan, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and now Syria.
The invasions and occupations, we now know were all based on lies, people fed lies by the media, and PR firms like Bell Pottinger paid millions to create false videos and footage to justify the lies. Plenty of paid reports by human rights groups, civil society also added spice.
The British troops have no choice but to land in nations when their government decide to illegally invade.
British troops landed in Iraq in 2003 at one time its numbers were close to 50,000. British troops have been deployed in Cyprus since 1964. British army was deployed in Belize from 1949 to 1994 while troops have been based in Bermuda since 1701. There is a gurkha battalion in Brunei since 1962. How many are aware that the British troops have been stationed in Germany since end of World War 2 and David Cameron assured all troops would leave Germany by 2020.
This is the same country asking other countries to close down military bases stationed in their own countries!
However the prosecutors of the ICC have ruled out putting former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on trial for war crimes but the soldiers will be. This was questioned by the father of a soldier who died in Iraq. It is outrageous. It is double standards. These soldiers have gone out to do their best for us and here they are being hounded and yet the guy who took them there is not being looked at. That is completely wrong and disgusting,” Roger Bacon
There is a history to British crimes and these crimes have been part & parcel of state policy and these crimes have taken place in countries that the British have illegally invaded. The British Army has dropped bombs that are internationally banned. Defence Secretary John Reid admitted that UK used white phosphorus in Iraq. The British were the first to employ herbicides and defoliants to destroy the crops, bushes, and trees of communist insurgents in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency.
Royal Air Force dropped diphenyl chloroarsine, an irritant agent designed to cause uncontrollable coughing, on Bolshevik troops in 1919. During colonial rule in British India, Rawalpindi experiments, hundreds of Indian soldiers were exposed to Mustard gas. All these cases are with the knowledge of and consent of the government and often it is the leaders who purchases these substances that the army are ordered to use.
However, with the exposure of PR firms being paid to prepare false video footage, and ‘journalists’ are no other than military personnel while media too are paid to justify interventions we have to seriously question the reports and ‘witness claims’ being produced by entities who survive and thrive only if there are global issues to make a living.
Therefore, when Lord Richard Dannatt says it is dangerous for soldiers to ‘feel inhibited in doing what they think is right for fear of retrospective investigation’…. To have these wide-ranging inquiries into what are repeatedly turning out to be wholesale, fallacious accusations is undermining for morale and the Army’s effectiveness”. What he is indirectly implying is that the cobweb of lies and deceit that prevails in these ‘conflicts’ to which troops are sent and thereafter the inhibitions and fallacious accusations that the troops have to suffer are demoralizing the Army and it must stop he says. It would have been nice if our own Field Marshall spoke like Lord Dannatt!
While the UK has had British military Court Martials for offences committed by British troops the US has given itself immunity. In Afghanistan a deal secures blanket immunity the United States shall have the exclusive right to exercise jurisdiction over such persons in respect of any criminal or civil offenses committed in the territory of Afghanistan.” In 1955 the Supreme Court ruled that veterans of the U.S. armed forces could not be court-martialed for overseas crimes that were not detected until after they had left military service. https://www.amazon.com/American-Immunity-International-Culture-Politics/dp/162534046X In 2000 Congress attempted to close the jurisdictional gap with passage of the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act. The effectiveness of that legislation is still in question.
US is not a party to the ICC. Global Policy Forum writes US-led occupation forces have committed numerous atrocities in Iraq since the invasion of 2003…. While some cases have been brought before military hearings, the Pentagon has covered up most of these cases and exonerated the soldiers involved. Rather than pursuing high officials and senior officers, military prosecutors have pursued only a few low- ranking soldiers. With few exceptions, most cases have yielded relatively light punishments, while the majority has seen original charges of murder downgraded to lighter charges or even dismissed completely. The United States has repeatedly insisted that these atrocities were committed by “few bad apples,” obscuring the fact that troops are regularly committing such crimes under a system of unrestrained violence attributable to those at the top.”
The underlying message from this is that Britain is standing by its troops even which Sri Lanka’s government is not. Britain is standing by its troops when they are well aware that these troops are sent to fight illegal wars and often the enemy that the troops are sent to kill are the very people that their government help train and arm.
In Sri Lanka’s case the troops were defending their nation against terrorists. War Crimes Tribunals have never put terrorists on the dock. Therefore the Sri Lankan Government agreeing to war crimes tribunals are only agreeing to declare our own troops as war criminals. We know that all of the tribunals held thus far have all been worthless and a waste of money though it has enabled a handful of people to become quite rich dragging the tribunal with no justice.
Says Lord Dannatt – We need to ensure that when the men and women of our armed forces go out there on our behalf, willing to sacrifice themselves for our safety and for our defence, that they have our full confidence and backing in doing that and that’s what we will give them.”
Isn’t this what Sri Lanka’s Government should be saying for its own troops? Or is that affecting this laughable reconciliation, secular-multicultural bogey that the government is foolishly riding on. The irony becomes far greater when the Canadian Court in refusing asylum to a TNA applicant says LTTE and TNA are one and the same while the present government allows the TNA leader to be the Opposition Leader and the flag bearer of reconciliation when in reality he is hoisting the separatist flag while the government has to hang to separatist lobbies for its own political survival.
Whatever the reasons LTTE were terrorists. They carried out heinous crimes. Just because the UN has yet to define what a terrorist is, LTTE cannot be omitted from being held responsible for its murders. Just because Prabakaran is dead no one can simply say LTTE is no more. What about the TNA, the LTTE diaspora, the Sinhalese and foreigners who were helping the LTTE, the international organizations that gave oxygen to the LTTE, the local NGOs, the charities, the others who made money knowing they were providing material support to the LTTE, the media even some politicians who aided and abetted terrorism at some point or the other throughout the 30 years – ALL of them must stand trial for every murder and mayhem committed by the LTTE BEFORE any military person is taken before any court (local or foreign).
Justice must come to the victims – the victims are those killed and injured by LTTE not the LTTE killed by those that defended the nation.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad interviewed by Canadian media at Ahmadiyya Convention (Jalsa Salana) Canada
On 7 October 2016, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad held a Press Conference with representatives of the Canadian print, broadcast and ethnic media. Media outlets present included CTV and the Toronto Star.
The Press Conference took place at the International Centre in Mississauga on the first day of the 40th Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Canada.
During the 35 minute Press Conference, His Holiness was asked his views on establishing peace in the world, the continued threat of terrorism and extremism and the purpose of his visit to Canada.
Speaking about his current tour of Canada, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
This year the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Canada is celebrating its 50th anniversary and so the local Ahmadiyya Muslim Community requested me to come and address their Annual Convention.”
Upon being asked how the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is spreading peace in the world, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
Islam prohibits all forms of extremism and terrorism and so suicide bombings, beheadings, the killing of innocent people are all opposed to Islam’s teachings. This is the message we are propagating and spreading far and wide.”
In response to a question about the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s slogan of ‘Love for All, Hatred for None’, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
The importance and significance of this message is obvious in today’s world given that violence and disorder has spread to so many parts of the world. Hence, the message of ‘Love for All, Hatred for None’ is not only something for Muslims to follow but for all people. In today’s society we need to show kindness, compassion and must discharge the rights of one another.”
During the Press Conference, His Holiness condemned the role of extremist Muslim clerics in the spread of extremism and the radicalisation of some Muslims. His Holiness said that such clerics had completely misconstrued the true teachings of Islam” and he advised authorities to take firm measures against any cleric found to promote extremism.
Asked about his views on Canadian values, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
I am pleased that Canada is a multicultural society in which freedom of religion and freedom of expression exists. I enjoy visiting Canada whenever I have the opportunity to travel here.”
Regarding the efforts of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to curb extremism, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
We have no worldly power and so all we can do is to continue to peacefully preach Islam’s true teachings. It is a slow process but one day we shall win the hearts of people and the brutalities witnessed in the world today will stop. We are very determined and so we will never give up our tasks.”
The Joint Apposition plans to take legal action against the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) politician who had forced the Ratnapura Municipal Commissioner to refuse permission to hold their rally at the Seevali Ground in Ratnapura, MP Pavithra Wanniarachchi said.
Speaking to the media, Wanniarachchi said she would take legal action against that particular politician over his alleged attempts to hamper preparations for the rally. She also claimed the actions of this politician have violated fundamental rights of those who support Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
On Thursday, some group had assaulted the young supporters of the Joint Opposition while they were decorating the Ratnapura town for the Rally. We will go courts to take legal action against these [injustices],” she said.
Wanniarachchi also said that Ratnapura Municipal Commissioner M. W. Kulathilaka had issued a letter preventing the Joint Opposition from using the Seevali ground to hold the rally.
The Commissioner had stated in the letter that the council had decided to not provide the ground for an event that would set up structures on the ground.
Kulathilaka has informed us that we couldn’t use the Seevali Ground. Instead we are supposed to hold the rally in the Park for lorries which is adjacent to the Seevali Ground,” Wanniarachchi said.
Critical of the Commissioner’s decision, Wanniarachchi further said the Municipal Council did not have such reservations when President Maithripala Sirisena was using the Seevali Ground to celebrate World Environment day months ago.
This decision indicates how much the Government fears the Joint Opposition and how they attempt to disturb our work,” she stressed.
Wanniarachchi added the rally would be led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, with the participation of leaders of the Joint Opposition.
Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, widely speculated to be the leader of the new party to be formed by members of the JO had confirmed his participation in the rally. However Former President and current Member of Parliament Mahinda Rajapaksa has so far not spoken about his participation.
Last week’s newspapers were crowded with reports on the mind-boggling penalties loss-loaded SriLankan Airlines will pay for the cancellation of the leases of four Airbus A350 aircraft. An AFP report we run today quoted official sources placing the figure at around US dollars 115 million. This obviously is not small beer by any consideration. The present management of the airline wishes to concentrate on its regional short haul destinations and discontinue several long haul flights to Europe. The popular London flights offering the convenience of a non-stop connection against cheaper fares offered by Middle Eastern competitors involving a stopover at their hubs will continue, presumably because they are viable.
There is no doubt that particularly Airlanka, the predecessor of the present national carrier, was largely responsible for bringing modern aircraft and airline technology into this country. The fact that we had our own airline when the July 1983 riots blackened our image internationally, and many foreign airlines flying here discontinued services, enabled us to ensure the survival of our tourist industry on which substantial investment had been made over a long period of time. While the decision of airlines that had long flown here to stop coming to Colombo was a heavy blow to tourism, the fact that we had our own airline prevented us from being totally isolated. Although five-star hotel rooms here became available for as little as 20 and 30 dollars in those dark days, tourism survived and is today demonstrating a growth momentum identifying it as among the biggest economic drivers of the times.
The technology that Airlanka brought into the country and the experience gained by thousands of Lankans privileged to work for the airline enabled the acquisition of skills and abilities that have enabled a very large number of our people to find jobs not only in this country but overseas. These ranged from stewards and stewardesses, aircraft engineers and mechanics, ticketing and catering staff and many more. From a backward airline boasting it was accident free in a small but well located country, we were able to take a great leap forward towards modernization thanks to the decision to set up that airline, utilizing the goodwill that the J.R. Jayewardene government was able to mobilize in Singapore. This enabled the harnessing of the proven expertise of Singapore Airlines to develop Airlanka and we were able to make remarkable progress. Obviously there was no free lunch and Singapore Airlines also wanted to take advantage of the relationship. Eventually there was a parting of the ways with an arrangement with Emirates that came in as an equity partner and manager to follow.
The former president did not do himself any good by appointing his brother-in-law, a former planter, as Chairman of SriLankan Airlines; likewise the setting up of Mihin Lanka, bearing a diminutive of his name, without any kind of commercial or financial rationale. The public perception, for valid reasons, was that an airline spending billion on re-fleeting was a hotbed of corruption. Buying aircraft involving the expenditure of the kind of bucks that were being spent for the purpose obviously opened doors for kickbacks and commissions and most people had no doubt that big money was being made on procurements. Tight controls that are necessary in these circumstances were nowhere in evidence. There were strong doubts on whether the country was getting the best deal for its money. Having sold a stake in the airline to Emirates, the inflated egos of the powers that were, aided and abetted by sycophants who only muttered ehei hamaduruwane whatever the royal desire however stupid, an arrangement that was profitable to both partners was terminated. Emirates obviously saw prospects in the company as it increased its stake, albeit modestly, by buying employee shares granted free, gratis and for nothing to the airline’s staff, from whoever was willing to sell. The end came after the Emirates appointed CEO was kicked out for refusing to bounce paid passengers to accommodate a royal retinue on a flight.
The new regime, typically, appointed the one man Weliamuna Committee to find out what has been going on in the airline. There was a lot of whistle blowing in response to its invitation for information and the committee, whose work was necessarily not as in-depth as the situation warranted on account of a tight timeline among other reasons, came up with a report. But even such a preliminary investigation surfaced a lot of material, some of it salacious, for further inquiry. But nothing seems to have been done since with no bloodhounds unleashed to get at the culprits. The government has sensibly come round to the viewpoint that no more public funds can be poured into a bottomless pit and is looking for a partner to take a 49 percent stake in the airline with the buyer given management control. This is similar to the previous arrangement with Emirates for the termination of which President Mahinda Rajapaksa has not been brought to account.
Any new arrangement will obviously necessitate the government (read taxpayer) assuming responsibility for the airline’s existing debt or a big chunk thereof. There was a Reuter report last week that about half a dozen parties are interested suggesting that despite the depressing figures that emerged last week the airline still offers some value. After a previous management downsized its payroll to reasonable proportions through an expensive voluntary retirement scheme, a new government merrily added more recruits to the airline bloating the numbers above the previous level! SriLankan can be properly run as has been previously demonstrated by a board headed by a respected and capable civil servant that included such personalities like the late Lal Jayasundera of Hayleys. But travel perks attract freeloaders appointed by political patrons to the board and it is unlikely that the political powers that are have the backbone to do away with such pernicious practices.
A dialogue on unitary and federal systems of government has already begun albeit among a woefully inadequate number of citizens. This article is an attempt at contributing to an informed dialogue on federalism by presenting the implications of international experiences and research findings on federalism for Sri Lanka.
It would be pertinent to begin by reviewing the pattern of physical spread of the two systems, among the world’s total of 195 sovereign countries. There are 169 (83.7%) unitary countries to 26 federated countries. (source: Wikipedia/ UN Statistical Division). In Asia 39 countries are unitary while only 06 countries (13%) are federal.
The population in federal countries is around 40 % and is due to the theoretical principle that federal systems are best for large countries. For example, of the 10 largest countries in the world, seven are federal.
In size, Sri Lanka is ranked as the 120th country out of 195. Of the 75 countries that are smaller than Sri Lanka, 68, or 90 % of countries are unitary. Of the 26 federal countries in the world, 85% are larger than Sri Lanka. Very many small countries follow the unitary model. Why should Sri Lanka choose to stray away?
Proponents of federalism, guided by western concepts, believe that countries with multiple ethnicities should, as a rule of the thumb, select federalism. But framers need to be more discerning; ask questions before committing to a model. Does federalism match with local reality, and ground situation in the country? Does it match with the existing socio-cultural, political, demographic, and geo-political circumstances? What are previous national experiences? What has international research shown, both on mainstream federalism, and ethno-federalism?
The oft made suggestion is that “if federalism is good enough for USA and India, why not for Sri Lanka?” We may begin by reflecting on the applicability of these to Sri Lanka.
This, very briefly, is how the USA constitution came into being. Around 1770s, the 13 separate colonies in America fighting the British for independence agreed to form a Union. However, after independence they realized that the central government lacked adequate executive authority to enforce legislation, raise revenue, and provide defense to the Union. The first agreement on the Confederation was a failure.
If the Union were to survive a new Constitution had to be developed. It was a kind of tight rope walk for the framers who had to balance the power of states already in existence with the power and authority needed by a central government to be effective as a Country in the emerging geo-political situation. This is why the Constitution of the USA is popularly called a ‘bringing- together’ Constitution. An independent Judiciary, Bill of Rights, and the separation of powers principle ensured that fundamental rights of citizens would be protected and abuse of government powers precluded.
As some Lankans think, the USA Constitution did not change a unitary country to a federal country. It sought to protect the integrity of the new Country built out of 13 disparate independently functioning states by judiciously strengthening the central government. Federalism was a pre-constitutional reality. But neither ethnicity nor language was the basis for demarcating states. It was pure and simple territorial federalism.
Sri Lanka certainly can learn from the constitution-making process in America. The key learning point is that the designing of the USA Constitution was mainly based on a critical analysis and a rational understanding of contextual issues, the locality-specific situation, historical developments, and the emerging geo-political situation facing the fledgling country. The concept of sovereignty of the people, the rights of the individual, separation of powers, and the stability of the Country were some overarching principles.
The lesson for Sri Lanka from USA, is not to import federalism. But to undertake a critical analysis and a rational understanding of the contextual situation and locality-specific issues facing the country, including an understanding of the implication of the size of the country, the continued need to forge amity among all communities, the geo-political implications, national security, and the need to strengthen the protection of fundamental rights of all citizens without discrimination, and the integrity of the State of Sri Lanka.
What can we learn from India? The Indian Constitution is called a ‘holding together’ Constitution.
There are 122 major languages and 1,599 other languages in use in India (2011 Census). Of the above, 22 are recognized as official languages. Hindi, the mother tongue of the largest number (41 %) of Indian people, is the main language in nine states (out of a total of 29 states). Bengali, the main language of two states is the second most widely (8%) spoken language. Telegu is the main language in two states. The other states have one main language each. With such a mosaic of heterogeneous population and far flung lands, the ground reality was to adopt federalism. The British colonial government advocated a federation in 1935, which failed to be activated. (Please also note that the British colonial government did not advocate federalism for Sri Lanka).
It is also revealing that during the early stages of framing of the Indian constitution, Pandit Nehru supported territorial federalism, but not ethnic or linguistic federalism.
Dr. S.D. Muni’s writing titled ‘Ethnic conflict, federalism, and democracy in India’ published in United Nations University web page confirms that Dr. Ambedkar was also of same opinion : ” …. Though the country and the people may be divided into different states for convenience of administration, the country is one integral whole, its people a single people living under a single imperium derived from a single source…” .
Later on, however, language based states were accepted. Nonetheless, the central government’s absolute power to annul any separatist push was maintained and further enhanced through new Acts as late as the mid-1970s.
Many wrote about the success of Indian federalism. But only a few attempted to identify causes for such success (and some setbacks). One such illuminating analysis was undertaken by Professor Ashutosh Varshney, Sol Goldman Professor of International Studies and the Social Sciences at Brown University, USA. In the 2013 article ‘How Has Indian Federalism Done?’ published in ‘Studies in Indian Politics’ Journal, Varshney identifies the vital factor for the success of Indian federalism: ” A major reason for the success of Indian federalism, if not the only one, has to do with the country’s ethnic configuration. Indian identities tend to crosscut, instead of cumulating”.
Varshney presents two concepts to describe the identity formation of the ethnic or linguistic majority group in the states. The first way is called ‘crosscutting cleavage’, and the second way is called ‘cumulating cleavage.’
When the majority ethnic group of the area is cross-cut considerably by other socio-cultural groups, such as those speaking a different language, belonging to a different religion or a tribe, that phenomenon is called a cross cutting cleavage. Consequently, the majority ethnic group would not be able to monopolize public opinion formation in that area. This reduces pathways for intense ethnic identity formation around that majority ethnic group. The absence of such a monolithic ethno-political identity prevents extremist politicians from mobilizing them for political brinkmanship against the centre. Varshney explains that intra-state issues are turned into a “more enduring form of politics than a confrontation with the Centre”.
The vast majority of Indian states are crosscutting cleavage states, and thus are immunized against separatism.
However, in a cumulating cleavage situation, the majority language group almost make-up the total population of the administrative unit; perchance if other seemingly different smaller groups are present they would invariably hold similar beliefs as that of the majority language group. There is nothing inherently wrong with such natural formations. But an opportunity is certainly presented to extremist ethnic politicians to exploit the situation and build up an intense ethno-political identity in the administrative unit and channel it against the central government.
India is proof of the empirical truth of this theory. Professor Varshney indicates that the separatist challenges in India exclusively occurred/ occurs in the few states where ethnic cleavages tend to cumulate. These are Jammu and Kashmir, and Northeastern tribal states such as Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland , Tripura and the Punjab.
However, the might of the Indian central government, its economic strength, and the strongly ‘pro-India’ Indian diaspora spread throughout the world acts as a strong and pre-emptive strike force against separatist tendencies.
Sri Lanka however presents a completely different picture on both counts. Professor Varshney discussing Sri Lanka in the above mentioned article writes:”Sri Lanka is a classic case of cumulative cleavages. Tamils are not only religiously distinct from the Sinhalese, but also linguistically and racially”.
The lesson from India for Sri Lanka is very clear. Any federal approach would clearly subject Sri Lanka to high risks.
In recent times many researchers have joined in studying ethno federalism. One such researcher, Henry Hale of America, as Professor Ashutosh, has attempted to examine the underlying causes in regard to federal processes. He presents a concept called ‘core ethnic region’ and identifies it as the biggest risk factor for state collapse in ethno- federal countries. (Ref:- H.E.Hale, ‘Divided We Stand: Institutional Sources of Ethno-Federal State Survival and Collapse’, in ‘World Politics Journal’, 2004).
Hale defines a core ethnic region as “a single ethnic federal region that enjoys dramatic superiority in population”. As per this definition, if the northern province of Sri Lanka is accorded federal characteristics constitutionally, (irrespective of the given terminology) it becomes a core ethnic region.
Hale’s analysis shows that all ethno-federal countries that ultimately collapsed had at least one core ethnic region within it. These were Czechoslovakia, Mali Federation, Nigeria First Republic, Pakistan, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Yugoslavia, and Serbia-Montenegro (the first federation).
Hale’s research indicates that in all these situations the “core ethnic regions are centrally involved in the collapses, producing dangerous situations of dual power …. that are frequently at the heart of state breakdown”, because core ethnic regions by its nature and power tend to retard the “capacity of the central government to credibly commit to the security” of core ethnic regions. This process according to Hale is set in motion by ethnic card playing politicians.
The above analysis clearly demonstrate that if federalism is invoked, Sri Lanka would be subjected to the presence of two high-risk disintegrative phenomena namely (i) cumulating ethnic cleavages and (ii) core ethnic regions.
It is proposed that policy-makers and framers take these concepts and the negative implications into view in deciding on the Constitution.
(The writer is an ex-journalist, communication researcher, and retired officer of the international civil service.)
The world’s first Buddhist animal rights conference
The first Asian Buddhist Animal Rights Conference co-hosted by Dharma Voices for Animals (DVA) and Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE) was held successfully at Hotel Skypark Kingstown, Dongdaemun in Seoul, South Korea on Friday September 30, 2016 immediately after the conclusion of the 28th General Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists Conference in the same city.
It was a full day Conference.
One of the Resolutions adopted at the Conference called upon the Govt. of Sri Lanka to take immediate steps to have the Animal Welfare Bill enacted without delay. It said that it would be tantamount to an inexcusable lapse if Sri Lanka were to celebrate in year 2017 the UN Day of Vesak at an Inter – Governmental level, without extending appropriate legislative protection in line with Buddhist values and Sri Lanka’s historical animal friendly cultural heritage, and modern standards of care and treatment, to animals.
The keynote speaker was the well-known Buddhist monk and animal advocate Venerable Master Hai Tao from Taiwan. He spoke on Compassion for All Beings.
Master Hai Tao
Other speakers were
1) DVA President, Bob Isaacson who spoke on the Buddha’s Teachings on Sentient Beings and How We Can Live Kinder.
2) Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara (Veterinary Surgeon and Chapter leader of the Kandy Chapter of DVA in Sri Lanka ) who with his team have generously given free treatment to more than 50,000 animals
Dr. Nanayakkara raised the question, is it consistent with Buddhist teachings for humans to kill animals in response to overpopulation? Instead a method consistent with the Dhamma is readily available: the spraying and neutering of dogs, cats and other animals.
3) CARE Founder & President Ms. Soyoun Park ( a Leading Animal Rights Advocate in South Korea)
4) Professor Chang – gil, Park ( Ph.D.) of Sungkonhoe University, Seoul and President of Voices for Animals. He spoke on the topic ‘ What can Buddhist organisations do to protect world laboratory animals?”
5) Film Director Ms. Yun Hwang ( who has made a documentary film on introspection of the modern livestock industry and its interaction with Animals). She spoke on the topic ‘ Mercy and Peace of Eating’.
The various speakers dealt with issues related to implementation of humane animal control methods, spraying and neutering of animals, animal experimentation, animal agriculture and plant-based nutrition.
There were two workshops held at the conference: the first focused on Advancing the Cause of Animal Rights in the Buddhist Community and the other at the end of the Conference dealt with the moral issue of Living Kinder and Eating Kinder – using what was learned at the Conference for the Welfare and Happiness of All Beings.
A delicious vegan Lunch which was entirely plant-based (no animal foods) and reflecting Korean cultural tradition and cooking was served to the delight of visitors from overseas.
Among the distinguished attendees at the Conference were Mr. Phallop Thaiarry ( Secretary – General of the World Fellowship of Buddhists), Mr. AJ Garcia ( President, CARE), Dato Ang Choo Hong (Malaysia), Ms. Loh Pai Ling (President, Buddhist Missionary Society, Malaysia), Mr. Lee, Tae – Ghill ( Director of Committee, Lay Buddhist Association of South Korea), Mr. Park, Sang – Kyu, Dr. Lee Chi -Ran, Mr. Basumitra Barua (Bangladesh), Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan ( Australia), Mr. Senaka Weeraratna ( Chapter Leader , DVA Colombo, Sri Lanka), Mr. Lakshman Hettiaratchi( Sri Lanka), Mrs. Sandamali Hettiaratchi ( Sri Lanka), Major – General Sardha Abeyratne (Sri Lanka), Mr. Albert Mah ( DVA Chapter Leader, Perth, Western Australia), Mr. Ananda Mahinkanda (DVA, Los Angeles, USA), a Nepalese Buddhist leader, and Mr. Senarathna Liyanage (Sri Lanka).
This conference was the world’s first Buddhist animal rights conference. It is indeed noteworthy that Buddhists in increasing numbers are now engaging in animal advocacy and refraining from consuming animal foods because they want to go further with their practice of kindness and compassion which applies to all living beings and not just humans.
To them ethical and moral considerations in exploiting animals for food, skin, fur, experimentation and entertainment are equally important as Buddhist philosophy. Kill and Eat is not part of the Buddhist Tradition. The Buddhist First Precept which recognises the right to life of all living beings of all species without hierarchical discrimination, and Right Livelihood as a key component of the Noble Eightfold Path, were heavily emphasized at the Conference.
At the end of the Conference several Resolutions were adopted.
The conference ended with a Group Photograph being taken.
The organizers hope that this conference will be the starting point and they plan to hold more in the coming years in conjunction with the General Conferences of the WFB.
October 08, 2016 “Information Clearing House” – “Counterpunch” – Jean-Paul Pougala’s April 14, 2011 piece in Pambazuka Newstitled The Lies Behind the West’s War on Libya” describes how Africa first developed its own transcontinental communications system by purchasing a telecommunications satellite on December 26, 2007: the African Development Bank ponied up $50 million toward the nearly $400 million cost of the orbiter and the West African Development Bank added $27 million more. Libya contributed $300 million, which made the purchase possible. Pougala writes that when it was up and running, the new system was connecting the entire continent by telephone, television, radio broadcasting, and several other technological applications such as telemedicine and distance teaching.”
After 14 years of foot-dragging by the IMF and the World Bank, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s generosity allowed for this one-time purchase that spared the nations of Africa a $500 million annual lease payment for access to a telecom satellite and euchred Western banks out of potential billions in loans and interest. At this time, Gaddafi was also seeking to establish a trans-African banking system based on gold to free the continent from its financial bondage to the IMF and the World Bank—which would gravely harm both predatory entities.
Since 2003, Gaddafi had worked hard to repair his reputation for financing terrorism by renouncing any future support for terrorist organizations and by establishing a fund to compensate victims of Pan Am Flight 103 and UTA Flight 772, each destroyed by acts of terror believed to have been financed by Libya. On December 10, 2007 Gaddafi traveled to France for a pow-wow with then-President Nicolas Sarkozy.
During their December 11, 2007 meeting at the Elysee Palace, Gaddafi and Sarkozy signed some $15 billion worth of contracts for military hardware and a nuclear power station, but matters other than trade were also on the agenda. In a March 12, 2012 report, the French investigative journalism consortium Mediapart stated: According to information contained in a confidential report prepared by a recognised French expert on terrorism and terrorist financing, President Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 election campaign received up to 50 million euros in secret funds from the regime of the late Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.” Documents released by Mediapart on September 11, 2016 confirm that the financial relationship between Gaddafi and Sarkozy dates back to December 10, 2006.
(Upon the intial release of this information in 2012, Sarkozy denied he’d accepted Libyan money to finance his campaign—which is illegal in France and could well land him in prison—and attempted to sue Mediapart. However, an official investigation was launched into Sarkozy’s conduct and when portions of the resulting secret report surfaced at Mediapart’s website, the evidence pointed squarely to Sarkozy’s receipt of Gaddafi’s cash.)
Gaddafi recognized that because of his telecom satellite intiative and his as yet unpublicized Pan-African banking proposal (which no doubt the West was well aware of), his popularity with Western leaders was slipping and that he might soon be the target of regime change” and likely hoped that by financing Sarkozy’s election he was buying insurance against his own untimely death. Meantime he did his best to be seen as a good pro-West statesman. In August 2008 Gaddafi signed agreements with the US formalizing compensation for victims of state terror, and in September 2008 Condoleezza Rice visited Libya and declared that relations had between the two nations had entered a new phase”.
But in February 2009 Gaddafi was elected Chairman of the African Union and first made public mention of a United States of Africa” and hinted at the possibility of a pan-African banking system. (Ominously, on March 12, 2009 Sarkozy made France a part of NATO, breaking with a tradition that went back to de Gaulle.) Then, in August of 2009, Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi—convicted of participating in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing—was released from prison in Scotland and given a hero’s welcome upon his return to Libya, and later that same year Libya inked a deal with Russia to purchase $1.8 billion in weapons. These developments did not enhance Gaddafi’s profile in Western eyes.
Also, there was a lot of money at stake. Prior to the fall of Gaddafi, oil-rich Libya had cash reserves of $150 billion, and there were 143 tons of gold in Gaddafi’s vaults. As Pougala wrote in his Pambazuka News piece: [A large portion of this money] had been earmarked as the Libyan contribution to three key projects which would add the finishing touches to the African federation—the African Investment Bank in Syrte, Libya, the establishment in 2011 of the African Monetary Fund and the Abuja-based African Central Bank in Nigeria which when it starts printing African money will ring the death knell for the CFA franc through which Paris has been able to maintain its hold on some African countries for the last fifty years.”
In a June 7, 2016 posting at Black Opinion, Bob Fitrakis wrote:
The real reasons for the attack have been dealt with most directly by America’s most famous reformed economic hitman, John Perkins.
Perkins points out that the attack on Libya, like the attack on Iraq, has to do with power and control of resources, not only oil, but gold. Libya has the highest standard of living in Africa. According to the IMF, Libya’s Central Bank is 100% state owned. The IMF estimates that the bank has nearly 144 tons of gold in its vaults, Perkins wrote.
NATO went there like modern Barbary Coast Pirates to loot Libya’s gold. The Russian media, in addition to Perkins, reported that the Pan-Africanist Qaddafi, the former President of the African Union, had been advocating that Africa use the gold so plentiful in Libya and South Africa to create an African currency based on a gold dinar.
It is significant that in the months running up to the UN resolution that allowed the U.S. and its allies to send troops into Libya, Muammar al-Qaddafi was openly advocating the creation of a new currency that would rival the dollar and the euro. In fact, he called upon African and Muslim nations to join an alliance that would make this new currency, the gold dinar, their primary form of money and foreign exchange. They would sell oil and other resources to the US and the rest of the world only for gold dinars, Perkins explained.
In December 2010, a revolution in Tunisia brought down the Tunisian government. Subsequently in January 2011 came a series of events hailed in the Western press as the Arab Spring”: civil uprisings in Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Syria and Morocco. While these uprisings led to substantive change in Tunisia, they were brutally suppressed in Egypt and led to civil wars in Syria and Yemen that still rage. Those in Oman and Morocco fizzled out.
In Libya things broke funny. Starting on February 15, 2011, a series of protests demanding Gaddafi’s ouster erupted across Libya. By February 20, 2011 it was reported that some 300 civilians had been killed in the resulting violence, and that Gaddafi had launched warplanes against opposition groups in Tripoli. Sarkozy saw his opportunity to defend French bankers and to cover up his own illegal financial arrangement with Gaddafi. On March 10, 2011 Sarkozy officially recognized the Libyan National Transitional Council” (NTC), the umbrella under which the rebels” operated, and demanded the establishment of a no-fly zone” in the event Gaddafi used chemical weapons or airstrikes against his own people.
A report in The Guardian dated March 11, 2011 noted:
Sarkozy’s unilateral decision to recognise Libya’s transitional council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people was seen as grossly premature. Sarkozy is being irresponsible,” one EU diplomat said.
Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: I find it a crazy move by France. To jump ahead and say ‘I will recognise a transitional government’ in the face of any diplomatic practice, is not the solution for Libya.”
On March 19, 2011 Sarkozy had French warplanes fly missions against Libya and ordered the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle into Libyan waters. But the French were not alone. Earlier that week—on March 15, 201—a US F-15 crashed in Libya. On March 29, 2011 the US confirmed that A-10 Warthogs and A-130 gunships had been employed over Libya. On April 16, 2011 Journalist Jeremy Scahill was interviewed on The Ed Show (this from Medium Blue: The Politics of MSNBC by Michael Arria (CounterPunch 2014)).
Scahill: . . . CIA operatives on the ground there [Libya] are sort of engaged in an eHarmony dot com or sort of you know dating service relationship with the rebels for the clandestine world. I mean, this is, as Colonel Jacobs said, standard fare. What I think is of more concern is the fact that there are certainly US special operations forces units that are deployed already, secretly, inside of Libya that are painting targets for the air strikes. But Ed, I have to say that the scenario you’re laying out—when you talk about arming the quote unquote freedom fighters”, it really evokes images of the disastrous dirty wars of the 1980’s, I mean, the United States getting involved in what is effectively a Libyan civil war, a thousand or so rebels . . . They don’t have much military training. I mean, what you’re advocating is that Americans are going to have to be totally invested in one side of the civil war.
In his June 7, 2016 Black Opinion posting, Fitrakis writes:
. . . an unclassified U.S. Department of State document emailed to Hillary on April 2, 2011, key Clinton aide Michael Blumenthal confirmed that Perkins was right and the attack on Libya had nothing to do with Qaddafi being a threat to the United States and NATO and everything to do with looting his gold.
Qaddafi’s government holds 143 tons of gold, and a similar amount in silver. During late March, 2011, these stocks were moved to Sabha (south west in the direction of the Libyan border with Niger and Chad); taken from the vaults of the Libyan Central Bank in Tripoli, Blumenthal reported to Clinton.
Blumenthal pointed out the purpose of Qaddafi’s precious metal: This gold was accumulated prior to the current rebellion and was intended to be used to establish a pan- African currency based on the Libyan golden Dinar. This plan was designed to provide the Francophone African Countries with an alternative to the French franc (CFA).
Blumenthal spells out the reason for NATO’s attack and France’s imperial plunder, French intelligence officers discovered this plan shortly after the current rebellion began, and this was one of the factors that influenced President Nicholas Sarkozy’s decision to commit France to the attack on Libya.
There were five reasons for France’s illegal war with NATO against Libya. Sarkozy sought, according to Blumenthal, a. A desire to gain a greater share of Libyan oil production, b. Increase French influence in North Africa, c. Improve his internal situation in France, d. Provide the French military with an opportunity to assert its position in the world, e. Address the concern of his advisors over Qaddafi’s long term plans to supplant France as the dominant power in Francophone Africa.
It is obvious from this email that while Blumenthal understood Sarkozy’s need to protect French bankers from Gaddafi’s ambitious plan to launch a gold-based trans-African banking system, Blumenthal did not have a handle on Sarkozy’s ulterior motive—eliminating evidence of the French President’s own criminality. It should also be noted—and underscored—that none of the reasons for military action Blumenthal listed in his damning email could possibly justify an unprovoked attack on another sovereign state.
On March 30, 2011 the British government expelled five diplomats from the Libyan embassy as relations between Libya and the West continued to deteriorate. Over the ensuing months battles raged all across Libya. At one point a truce between the Libyan government and the NTC was brokered but did not hold and by August 2011 the nation was once again in a full-fledged civil war.
After March 31, 2011 the United States enforced the no-fly” zone over Libya, ostensibly to aid a legitimate uprising and to evict from power a bloodthirsty dictator, but the resulting attacks went much further than simply bringing down Gaddafi. On July 18, 2011 NATO targeted the Great Man-Made River, a massive irrigation project that brought water to thousands of acres of arid land. The warplanes that perpetrated this heinous act not only destroyed a vital piece of Libya’s infrastructure but on July 22, 2011 also destroyed a factory that according to Ellen Brown in her March 14, 2016 account for The Ecologist produced the only pipes necessary to repair it. This vicious, wanton devastation served no practical purpose whatsoever save for collectively punishing the Libyan people.
Aided and abetted by the Western powers, the rebels” closed in on Tripoli and on August 21, 2011 the city fell to the NTC. Gaddafi and his staff and immediate family fled to Syrte. A little after 8:00 p.m. on October 20, 2011, with the rebels” again closing in, Gaddafi attempted to flee Syrte in a convoy of 75 vehicles but his escape was discovered by RAF aircraft. A US Predator drone operated by someone sitting at a computer screen outside Las Vegas fired the first missiles into the fleeing vehicles. RAF aircraft also fired into the convoy. Ten vehicles were destroyed. Gaddafi survived the attack but was captured soon afterwards by the NTC, who found him hiding in a large drainage pipe. Gaddafi was shot several times and had a bayonet driven into his rectum.
Prior to Gaffafi’s murder, Libya was a stable country if not a traditional nation-state. According to a report titled Gaddafi’s Libya Was Africa’s Most Prosperous Democracy” by Garikai Chengu that appeared in the January 12, 2013 edition ofCountercurrents.org, . . . Libya was divided into several small communities that were essentially mini-autonomous States” within a State. These autonomous States had control over their districts and could make a range of decisions including how to allocate oil revenue and budgetary funds. Within these mini-autonomous States, the three main bodies of Libya’s democracy were Local Committees, People’s Congresses and Executive Revolutionary Councils.” Chengu details how Local Committees reported to People’s Congresses that in turn passed decisions up to the Executive Revolutionary councils, thus creating a broad consensus on those decisions affecting the entire population. The Libyan direct democracy system utilized the word ‘elevation’ rather than ‘election’, and avoided the political campaigning that is a feature of traditional political parties and benefits only the bourgeoisie’s well-heeled and well-to-do,” Chengu writes. Unlike the West, Libyans did not vote once every four years for a President and local parliamentarian who would then make all decisions for them. Ordinary Libyans made decisions regarding foreign, domestic and economic policy themselves.” Toppling Gaddafi erased a system of government that had functioned smoothly—and fairly—for nearly half a century.
Nicolas Sarkozy remains a free man. He has yet to be prosecuted for receiving illegal Libyan cash to finance his presidential campaign or for launching an illegal war to cover up his criminal relationship with Gaddafi.
Much has been written about the catastrophe visited upon Libya following the murderous attack by France and the US—400,000 people driven from their homes, an endless cycle of terror and reprisal, the creation of yet another failed state in the wake of a US foreign policy initiative. But the real damage was done to Africa itself, for had Gaddafi’s proposal for a trans-African banking system reached fruition, that unhappy continent for the first time in centuries would have had true freedom and real independence within its grasp, a circumstance the Western powers could not abide. Freedom and justice were never part of the West’s agenda.
On the evening of October 20, 2011 while being interviewed by CBS in the wake of breaking news that Gaddafi was dead, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shared a joke with her staff between takes, declaring: We came, we saw, he died.” She then clapped her hands and laughed triumphantly. This remains the vilest and most degraded utterance delivered by an official of the US Government ever.
Chris Welzenbach is a playwright (Downsize”) who for many years was a member of Walkabout Theater in Chicago. He can be reached at incoming@chriswelzenbach.com
Natasha Gunaratne gave an Introduction to the UNHRC Resolution
Sri Lanka Inc. organised “Geneva and You” – A full fledged discussion with expert panelists to inform Sri Lankan’s on how the Geneva Resolution will affect our country economically, socially and internationally.
Dr. Palitha Kohona spoke on the topic “Implications of the UNHRC resolution and has Sri Lanka responded appropriately?”
Sri Lanka Inc. organised “Geneva and You” – A full fledged discussion with expert panelists to inform Sri Lankan’s on how the Geneva Resolution will affect our country economically, socially and internationally.
A large number of school children undergo exam related fears. Sometimes these fears are overwhelming. It can cause low performance and failure in exams. As a matter of fact most of the children who are shattered by exam phobia have a good IQ and positive motivation. They show favorable performances in the classroom. But when they go to the exam these students become highly stressed, have fear and they are unable to face the exam with confidence.
Students with exam phobia feel extremely fearful and unsure. Following the increased fear they are unable to grasp theoretical material and find it difficult to remember. Exam phobia is a form of anxiety condition which is common among school children. In the verge of the examthe fear increases and some manifest psycho somatic ailments such as abdominal pains, vomiting, headaches , dizziness, tremors, etc which have no apparent medical basis. Some students with exam phobia manifest following anxiety related features during the exam period.
Unable to relax
Dizzy or light headed
Heart pounding or racing
Unsteadiness
Feelings of choking
Hands trembling
Fear of losing control
Difficulty breathing or chest pain
Indigestion or discomfort in the stomach
Feeling Faint
Feelings of unreality or disorientation
Amnesia or difficulty in remembering studied material
Self Revealed Story by Miss H
When I was doing my O/L exam I had an unexplainable fear and anxiety. I was not a mediocre of course. I worked very hard at school and at home. I could understand the study material when the teacher was explaining. My teachers and parents thought that I was a bright student who would perform well in the exam. But one month before the exam I had headaches and loose motions. My memory was fading. I could not memorize the material that I had learned. I was extremely afraid of facing the exam. At nights I could not sleep. I was weeping and thinking of giving a medical certificate without doing the exam.
Master L and his Fear
Two days before my A/L Chemistry paper I was confused. I could not recall the stuff that I had studied for the exam. I was frightened and helpless. The chemistry formulas were roaming inside my mind. It was an unpleasant intrusion. I thought my life was over. Two years hard work and all the hopes my parents had about me would go for nothing if I had failed the exam. I was blank, totally blank. I did not know what to do.
How Miss K Fought Her Fear
Miss K was a bright student who had lots of hopes for the AL exam. Her parents and the school teachers were so sure of her that she would enter the university at the first attempt. This premature hope on her became a big burden for her. Sometimes she had irrational feelings about her destiny. She often asked from her self what my parents and the teachers would say if I get a lower grade in the exam? This very feeling gave her fear and anxiety. Miss K had low appetite, suffered from headaches and experienced many sleepless nights. Sometimes she was unable to recall the studied material and write correct answers to the past papers. Eventually her fear was liquidated via counseling and psychotherapy. Imagery techniques helped her to simulate the artificial examination room atmosphere and build more and more confidence. Relaxation therapies reduced her outpouring anxiety. Miss K was able to pass the exam with excellent marks and today she is a Medical student.
Treatment of Exam Phobia
Counseling and Psychotherapy are indicated in treating exam phobia. Counselors who work with children and adolescents who suffer fromexam phobia may be required to use effective counseling strategies to help them. These interventions may be required to allow the students to achieve a greater academic autonomous functioning ability and face the exam with confidence. Empathetic listing to the student would ease his difficulties and create a growth promoting atmosphere. The client will begin to trust his abilities and challenge the fright.
In Psychotherapy it is necessary to establish a positive and functioning relationship with the therapist. The therapist should help the client to become consciously aware and able to express their anxiety and fear about exam and performance situations. The therapist should direct the client to fight his fear. Hence the student gets more confidence to face the exam. Simulating exam atmosphere in therapeutic sessions the fears and stresses can be reduced gradually. Implementation of positive self-talk to reduce or eliminate the anxiety is vital. Instead of negative coping skills (avoidance of the exam, expressing self directed anger, blaming others) healthy coping skills must be taught. While working with the student the therapist must increase client’s participation in educational activates, combating fear and building confidence. Appropriate relaxation and diversion activities would decrease anxiety levels. Therefore relaxation techniques (especially breathing techniques) are indicated in exam phobia. To enhance the therapeutic purpose parents/guardians and teachers support should be taken.
Some therapists perform Hypnotherapy to reduce the fear. Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness and heightened responsiveness to suggestions. During the hypnotic sessions positive suggestions are given to build confidence and illuminate the exam fear. The modern research indicates that EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is one of the effective modes of psychotherapy that can treat phobias successfully. These therapies should be performed by qualified and trained professionals.
Role of Medication
Some children who suffer from exam phobia go in to depression. Depression can cause negative self image, low motivation, difficulty in concentrating and remembering things that would affect the learning process. Therefore depression must be managed effectively. Sometimes depression and anxiety go hand in hand and students find difficult to cope. If the anxiety level is high and difficult to control anti anxiolitic or anti depressants are prescribed by a qualified medical practitioner. These medications combined with psychological interventions accelerate the recovery process.
Conclusion
Exam phobia is a self damaging factor which negatively affects the students and their performances. The student is unable to give is maximum productivity and the end result would be critical. Usually exam phobia is a slowly developing factor and sometimes early signs like physical and mental fatigue, irritability, difficulty in concentrating and negative self talk can be detected by the teachers and parents. School counselors can do a lot to help the students with exam phobia. Counseling and building confidence, educational therapy help the student to gather more strength and accomplish the exam.
