By Barbara Seneviratne –
Barbara Seneviratne
All through the years(Ceylon) Sri Lanka was thought of as a country that has high standards of decency, civilized and well disciplined, but since 1977 disorder, violence, corruption, injustice of power and tyranny of wealth is so widespread that in the near future it will paralyze the life in this country.
No democracy can survive with out law and order. The moral standards of our politicians, police force, army, criminals, and legal system are living examples. The cause for this state of affairs is the failure to provide moral leadership.
For sometime the media has been reporting alarming rise in the statistics of incidence of crime, rape and sexual assault against minors. The latest statistic was highlighted to be a total of 900 within these six months. Does this not sound alarming and especially when majority living in this country are Buddhists? This country where majority are Buddhists is on the path to earning a shameful reputation of becoming a nation of perverts, paedophiles and rapists.
To read the daily raping of underage girls of 16 years to 01 year by ruling Government MPs at all levels ( Local, Provincial and National) school principals and teachers, members of the forces other public officers and the clergy is sickening. Is it that these politicians, officers and clergy think that they have license to rape and kill anybody they like because of their position and power?
The usual tendency is to either soft peddle such issues stating the perpetrators were under the influence of liquor or psychologically ill. Then how is that these adults hold responsible positions? The blatant truth is that they are intoxicated by power and positions. The rulers of the country should make sure that perpetrators of such crimes are severely punished irrespective of their rank and standing in society.
Even when they are arrested the perpetrators are not dealt as the way they should. They because of their “status” are given preferential treatment or either released due to lack of witnesses. Usually in such cases witnesses do not come forward for fear of reprisals. Which is the case in most crimes taking place in the country.
This alarming rise in the rate of sexual assault and rape of minors is a major concern to the civil society and time has come to voice our concerns and fears. We have questions but what are the answers. The questions are; Why are these acts of violence rising at an alarming rate? Are we heading to be a mentally sick nation?
Is it the society that contributes to violence or the foundation of the Constitution, which have been shaken by folly of the people and the corruption of the politicians?
Some of the other factors contributing to this kind of violence are the free flowing of drugs for which the response of the government is very poor, of course for reasons of their own, sexual objectification of the female bodies by the media and widely shown porn films in ever mushrooming DVD parlors.
It is strange that women’s organizations who publicly spoke out against violations of women’s rights and their bodies are not heard since of late. There were times demonstrations were held in the Colombo Lipton circus on injustices related to women. Especially when Krishanti Kumaraswamy and her mother was gang raped and murdered in 1996 by the Sri Lankan armed forces. There was a good response from the women’s movement. Krishanti too was in her teens during her rape and murder. Many a women and children faced similar situations in the North and East during the conflict but we in the South didn’t protest vehemently as we should because we were not affected. But now the same gruesome violations are taking place in the South and victims are mainly from low income families who are powerless and are struggling to meet ends due to ever rising cost of living.
Is it because we are living in “comfort and privileged zones” and perceive such crimes will not take place to kith and kin of ours that we are so indifferent ?
The famous quote by saying goes Niemöller is perhaps best to remind in this context:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Socialist.Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Jew.Then they came for me–and there was no one left to speak for me.
The civil society organizations should be more active and women organizations should give the lead more aggressively to fight against all kinds of violence against women and children. A cry from all of us mothers fathers, brothers and sisters can certainly activate a lethargic government and time has come to resist and fight for justice.
Panda / July 6, 2012
This is such a shame. Sri Lanka is going to be known as the haven for pedophiles, and our women will not be feel safe and protected. This sudden surge of rapes and attacks only reflect on the failings of our government, and their inability to control every imaginable crime being committed in this country.
If the government is incompetent, then they have to get help from the international communities to stop this madness.
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Don stanley / July 6, 2012
Thanks for bringing this issue up! The Women’s organizations are all NGOized and busy making money on the international conference circuit, hence silent on these issues. The women’s movement has been killed by the Colombo women’s NGOs who monopolize the space and funds available and do NOTHING! Women’s NGOs in Colombo are into guarding their turf and indulge in self-censorship while making money pretending to work on women and media. These NGO grand dames indulge in legalese rather than working with people, have also done little to address issues faced by women in the north and have acted as if the no doubt awful Rajapakse regime is going to attack them when in fact aside from Dimuttu Artigalla no women NGO activists and journalists have been attacked> Self-censorship, turf guarding and making money is what is going on among women’s rights organzations!
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Chandra Goonewardene / July 7, 2012
very good don stanley.all too true.
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China Doll / July 6, 2012
Agreed with above and the rot starts at the top in the Govt and NGO sector alike – neither of whom are accountable to the people they claim to work for and are busy making money for themselves!
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AlexB / August 3, 2013
“women will not be safe and protected”
You think abuse,rape,sexual assault only happens to women?One of my friends was sexually abused when he was a child by a woman who used to work at their house.At least women are given attention when it comes to such crimes but no such attention for men or female perpetrators.
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suz / July 6, 2012
sign of reaching development and civilization.usa faced for same problems in 1960s and 1970s.
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ZELANIKA / July 7, 2012
Are you nuts ??????????
IDIOT
We are talking about
WONDER LAND OF MAHINDA RAJAAAAAAPAKSA.
SRIEEEEEEE LANKA,
NOT BLOODY U S A.
One Of the Government Trumpets,D N [ DEEEELY NEWS] SAYS;;;;;;
“””””””The Police Department yesterday said the media can play a pivotal role in educating the parents and guardians to keep a close tab on the behavior and movements of their children as the Police cannot eradicate the incidence of child abuse and sexual abuse single-handedly”””””””
SRI LANKA Police cannot eradicate the crimes because ONLY they can lick politicians backs. Or Helping For KUDU MUDALALIS AND ABDUCTORS.
Ministry of defence ??? what A SHAME.
Most of the Perverts, Paedophiles And Rapists,criminals are POLITICIANS AND THEIR STOOGES.
With the backing of Maha Rulers.
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DesperateSL / July 6, 2012
Valid points are in, but we are not becoming, we have already- the many from the west are aware of the the fact that Thailand is their sex paradise for all kind of sex abuses (hetero, homo or other perveous kinds), in the same time, they name SL as the country in the Indian Ocean – paradise for homos. This is why I heard from many already two decades ago.
And Quoting from the article per se:
The questions are; Why are these acts of violence rising at an alarming rate? Are we heading to be a mentally sick nation?
Reason is very clear that the current regime under MR is not well concerned about gravity of the problems in particular when it goes with protection of the rights of the nation of the country. It is said that juliamipitya amare- a brutal cimiinal as media revealed recently – the masses re more or less believe the case will UNDOUTEDLY sweep under the carpet during next few wks as is comparable with dozens of other issues like the murder of Baratha by MP and Gotabaya`s close confidant and the missing of journalists.
To address human rights issues of a country wholeheartely, there should be law and order in action. Latter is deriorating but president himself neglect these issues nor does ministry of justice react in safguarding the rights of the citizen of the coutnry. Instead of honeymoonying across the Globe, president, who is accountable for all the mess, should spend more times engaging with the alarming issues. Why cant presidential representives do his foreign trips, saving collosal sums of funds that he can better use for the poor man´s bread. And reidiculous enough, today,no matter abuductions, killings of unforseen sort are becoming familiar – only a small fractions of the nation seem to be even thinking of them.
When reading current day news from various media, issues that need to be addressed by President are completely missing. Perhaps this is common to many developing nations. Significant numbers of the country today who are in the firm belief that opposition is not powerful enough, are just criticising only. As senior lawyer pointed out lately, government is not only the ruling politicians, but also country´s general public.
I wonder what kind of improvements the SLGO would present in the next UN session of human rights council.
Who is the current justice minister of GOSL?
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Chandra Goonewardene / July 7, 2012
Current justice minister is Rauf Hakeem – virtually useless against the Rajas.
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Rubert Vanderkoon / July 7, 2012
Since the beginning of the one-man rule in the country, since 1978 that is, such atrocities have always happened. Obviously the media attention is remarkably high now than ever before, so many stories are now reported, while in the 80s, many such stories went unreported. I still remember a story that shook me for months, that was reported in a newspaper only once in early 90s, where a woman was raped by seven men in the same village in front of her husband, who was also beaten up by the gang.The woman was a mother of five and the rapists included older men and boys younger than her sons.Women like Barbara were not bothered then. Since about 1980 Anton Jones stopped writing songs about such incidents because they were taking place too frequently for him to cope with. Gonawala Sunil, Nimal, Malu Nihal, Soththi Upali were not only mafia kings but some of them were the then governing party, that was UNP, ex-co members. Such was the state sponsorship to rapists, murderers, drugsters and gangsters. The minister of Justice is an intelligent guy but he can’t do a lot under this political climate. His involvement with the general public is very minimal,and that is the nature of his job. However, the police and especially the local politicians work hand in hand, and most of them are uneducated and unintelligent. At least some of the rapists have now been caught following recent incidents, and hopefully they will be duely punished. The public needs the law to protect them but in rural areas where there is no protection for the poor, the law will hardly help. Until the one-man rule is abolished, and parliament democracy is re-established, the political climate that helps gangsters will not cease to exist.
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Simon / July 7, 2012
Your substance seem to be as if came from a blind folded as many others in the country today have been. More of the Comments alone on this thread and other blogs clearly prove that if not masses but significant nubmers disagree with the performance of the MR regime- afterall focusing on the human rights abuses and not investigating those crimes lawfully. Further to this, I myself know there are many in lanken society whose thinking is more or less the same as yours. Let alone, this was the common attitude in terms of the inablities of the police in the country two decades ago. Considering many of the comments to this and other blogs, not being biased to any political party, I believe what is missing in the country today is respective amendements to the prevailing laws in the country´s constitution. For example, why cant the police react in any of the recently reported cases fulfiling the justice to satisfy the general public. When you discussed the matter – many come with saying that it is the law of the country -the police is fully dependent on the political decisions. As every right thinking one would feel, here, the many of the laws should promtly be amended because new amendments to prevailing laws can definitely improve the rights of the general public, for example can improve the quality of the life of the people in the country
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And quoting from your comments –“ The minister of Justice is an intelligent guy but he can’t do a lot under this political climate “ . my simple question here is – what is his role as a the minister of Justice ?
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Rubert Vanderkoon / July 7, 2012
Not sure what you are talking about here, but if everybody disagrees with the way the government handles these crimes, that is a good sign but the people are powerless. The law is powerul enough but the law enforcement body is corrupt. The close association between the police and the politician makes any law pointless. The police can be made slightly useful by making it independent but the experience says otherwise. When the Independent police commission was established a few years ago, what the people experienced was a transfer of corruption from the police-politician affiliation to police-alone. I can describe this story in detail but a right thinking person would understand, that the bulk of the police is full of uneducated and unintelligent unfortunately. The traffic laws are good enough for our roads but doesn’t the police abuse them wholesale? While the rich and powerful breaks the law, the poor riding a motorbike or in a Maruti gets fined/bribed for offences not committed. Educating the police isn’t that simple. Probably, they could elevate the status of the service by recruiting some educated, graduates to the police. Yes, amendments to the law is what is needed: not a simple tinkering but a comprehensive amendment.
Justice ministers in the country included ACS Hameed, WJM Lokubandara, GL Peiris and apart from building a new courts complex or two, whatever have they done?
http://www.justiceministry.gov.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=53&lang=en
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Simon / July 7, 2012
So the political climate prevailing in the country today, according to you, most of the victims are fearful to come forward with their stories. And how can the country ever think of becoming the WONDER IN ASIA- these can be just political rhetoric ???
Not only by introducing higher qualifications when recruiting them to the police, but also providing them a better training and amending respective laws to be able to enforce appropriately, we can definitely see improvements in the police behaviour. General qualifications to become police constable is everywhere more or less the same. US army and police personnel are believed to have much lower qualifications.
If the rich people violate the laws, as you say, that should fearlessly be addressed by the ministry of the justice or not ?
Educating the police will become much easier, if politicians are educated enough. I thought, high ranking offiers in police are mostly qualified graduates or not ? and only the constables are not educated enough ?
So you too accept, comprehensive amendments of the law is need of the hour and then why do the responsible politicians do nothing against ??? May be the lanken system lacks the due support from the sociologists and psychologists in the process of analysing the issue and level has now become a state of metastatic cancer ??
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Rubert Vanderkoon / July 7, 2012
Not Wonder in Asia but we will be wandering stray forever unless we adjust ourselves. One could set goals to be a wonder of something but no politician has an answer to corruption; it is embedded in the social fabric. Ministry of Justice should do something but there are other players on ground. The law is good enough but the law enforcement authorities are the problem. I recently heard a sad story of a casino man in his Montero slipping away with the help of the police after knocking a motor cyclist down. The motor cyclist eventually died leaving a poor wife and three kids behind. One could suggest various solutions but without a complete overhaul of police and politics, nothing would work.
Only consolation we have about the police is that the high ranks are usually filled with qualified people but they are not the ones that deal with the public directly. Also the PCs recruited with lower qualifications receive sufficient training but once they are released, the service is so corrupt that they fall easily into the system.
Responsible politicians?? Do they exist? Of course the political setup, the constitution has to be completely transformed. We are trapped in this constitution that was made to satisfy one man’s Idiosyncracy. Nobody asked for it, he made it because he had vested interests. Whoever who gets there, unfortunately feels the power. Power does not corrupt, as somebody said, but fear does, the fear of a loss of power. So, nobody will be that genuine to change the constitution. Without re-adjusting the political structure, any other amendment will not be that successful. ,
The system does not need a sociologists and psychologists as such, although it would be helpful to have such support. However, the problem is the society is divided and the politicians are disingenuous. May be, it would help if it is made compulsory for politicians to have some qualifications as well. Currently, the political setup is at a disgraceful state.
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Jim Hardy / July 11, 2012
Rupert Vanderkoon alias Max Silva sings for his masters, just because past Govt record bad, the present should not follow suit.
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JD / July 6, 2012
There is an old saying in Tamil: The subjects of a nation always follow their king’s ways of life.
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DesperateSL / July 6, 2012
If the current leader is that wholehearted with the lawful matters of the nation, he could better use his excutive powers in amending them accordingly. However, these should be done after them being adequately discussed with the profesisonals in the very areas.
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PresiDunce Bean / July 6, 2012
@JD
There is also an English saying that goes, “The fish rots from the head down.”
When an organization or state fails, it is the leadership that is the root cause. In this case the leader is PresiDunce Rajapaksa and his family.
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / July 6, 2012
Social degeneration and break down of values and principles in society have many causes behind them.
Abject poverty and hopelessness of their victims feeds the perpetrators’ ego and sense of impunity.
The perpetrators are always powerful and influential or act on such presumptions.
Impunity (the re-assurance that they will not be punished for what is clearly wrong)predisposes otherwise ‘normal’ men to commit crimes.
A good example is when there is war, the invaders not only kill the enemy, but vanquish their possessions, denegrate, insult, rape, pillage, burn, desecrate places of worship etc, all of which would be punishable offences in civil society.
Electronic media expose the users to sexual imagery and acts which objectify and dehumanise especially women.
That feeds an assumption that they themselves can act similarly without consequences, or at the least de-sensitises them to another’s misery at their hands.
The perpetrators of sexual crimes are not always ‘mentally ill’ in the medical sense of the term. They would therefore never perpetrate such crimes on their sisters, mothers or daughters. (Those who do, may be ‘sick’ as above)
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Dr Romesh Senewiratne / July 6, 2012
Lasantha, it is a mistake to think that men who sexually or physically abuse women or children are “mentally ill” and in need of “psychiatric treatment”.
They are monstrous criminals, who should be imprisoned for life or executed according to the laws of the country in which they commit these crimes.
It is common knowledge that ritualised sexual abuse of children has occurred in Church-run schools around the world. Trinity College, where you and I were “educated” was such a school, and so was “Churchie” (Church of England Boys Grammar School) in Brisbane, where I did my final two years of schooling.
The monstrous, and long-running, abuse of children in so-called “Christian schools” (including both physical and sexual abuse, often ritualised) has been surfacing in recent years in Australia (including Churchie) but the problem continues. The abusers of children and women do their crimes with impunity in Australia, despite many people knowing about it. Most of the victims are too damaged and fearful to come forward with their stories.
Barbara, you may be interested to research the ritualized sexual abuse of school children in both Catholic and Protestant churches. You will find that this abuse has been going on for hundreds of years.
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suz / July 6, 2012
even in tamils loving famous counry canada gay marriages are legal.wait until mahinda chinthana will give all sex rights untill that we can see few crimes in island.
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gamini / July 6, 2012
According to Barbara, ‘All through the years(Ceylon) Sri Lanka was thought of as a country that has high standards of decency, civilized and well disciplined, but since 1977 disorder, violence, corruption, injustice of power and tyranny of wealth is so widespread that in the near future it will paralyze the life in this country’. It appears that the Sri Lankan society was well disciplined, decent and non corrupt prior to 1977. Prior to 1977 the media was confined to the radio and newspapers. There was no direct dialling and had to depend on trunkcalls where it took hours, days or weeks sometimes to contact between Kandy and Colombo two major cities in the country. So one can imagine how the communication was with the rest of the country. News travelled very slowly. There was no Televission as today, to provide the visuals for all to see action on the spot. How the Judiciary was tampered from ’70 to ’77 was well displayed by the film ‘Sargarayak Meda’ by Gamini Fonseka. Violence commenced in ’71 by the JVP with whom people like Barbara and crowd broke bread with, although now she believe they were lily whites in the past.How with the Exchange Control Act of the early seventies, properties like Mt. Lavinia Hotel were taken over and handed over to party supporters. How under the Land Reform Act the Economy of the country was killed and drawn back. What short memories people have in this country.
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Rubert Vanderkoon / July 6, 2012
Barbara, A few valid points but they can’t be even seen because they are engulfed by misconceptions and tosh. It is not the number of child rape cases have risen (probably they have..), rather they are reported better now, even then they don’t report many. Krishanti Kumaraswamy case gets attention but did you know there were little girls and old women being raped, abused alike in 1988-90? Even men and boys had to meet the fate. Don’t they count?? However I agree, the drugs made into the country whole sale after 1977 is responsible for most crimes.
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Native Vedda / July 7, 2012
Rubert Vanderkoon says:
“the drugs made into the country whole sale after 1977 is responsible for most crimes”
What are the drug enforcement agencies doing about it? By now the state institutions would tracked down the “importers” and prevented flooding of drugs. Who is protecting the drug Mafia?
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gamini / July 7, 2012
Native it is the present leaders and their cohorts that started bringing in Drugs to this country after the Economy was opened in ’77, where some of them are Senior Minister in the MR Govt. This Barbara and them are responsible for having supported this kind of leader all this time, although now they have fallen out and are criticising.
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Native Vedda / July 7, 2012
gamini
All news reach me very late in the day.
It is well known in this island that the drug smugglers and pushers work for both parties, thus giving them political protection from the long arm of the law (if ever this concept existed)irrespective of whoever is in power.
This is the best culture money and power could buy. The stupid Sri Lankans are proud of it.
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Babsy / July 7, 2012
Rupert please read carefully what Babara has written
“Many a women and children faced similar situations in the North and East during the conflict but we in the South didn’t protest vehemently as we should because we were not affected. But now the same gruesome violations are taking place in the South and victims are mainly from low income families who are powerless and are struggling to meet ends due to ever rising cost of living.”
Of course she mentions about rape of other women and children in the N&E as well but what she is trying to emphasize here is the fact that women’s movement was bold enough to give publicity to the horrendous crime not only to Krishanthi’s rape and murder but to her entire family as well by form of pretest and lobby which the Kumaratunge regime couldn’t ignore ……and also the article is trying to focus on the rape and sexual abuse done by people holding responsible position such as politicians, clergy, military and police personnel and public officers and not any ordinary man.
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Rubert Vanderkoon / July 7, 2012
Babsy, It is appropriate you follow your instructions more carefully because I did read very carefully Barbara’s misconceptions and yours as well. What she says is, it was in the North then and in the South now.Is that the case? She is scared the epidemic is spreading her way. In truth, almost a decade before that incident in the North, multiple such events happened in the South (in late 80s). Families of mothers and sisters were raped and killed in front of each other. The women’s movements, who are NGO arms always jumped on the bandwagon when there was a case that could make them famous but they weren’t that loud when atrocities took place in the South at other times.On the other hand, Barbara has no message apart from venting her political frustration. She is not happy that the leaders don’t listen to her now but her article is a piece of randomly picked popular waffle, not a logical view point.
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A.Mendis / July 6, 2012
There is gap between Civilization and Democracy,same time vast differance of Necessity and Freedom in wider of present ongoing order.
Problem is how re-order entire deficet and inequalities of Sri lankan socity after end of war 2009 may against TERRORISM ORINTED SEPARATISM,SECESSIONISM OF ETHANICITY OF ISLAND.
Peace and stabilty of all communities are most priority of VAULES of SECULAR DEMOCRACY OF ISLAND.Accepcte and Respcted of fundmantal huamn rights are our principle agaend of NATIONL POLITICS ALL SRI LANKAN MAJOR PARTIES;SLFP,UNP TNA JVP JUH MEP, Moribund LSSP & SLCP & MP.
Without bring peace and stabilty of enrite communties we have
no-displines at all.
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Vis8 / July 7, 2012
Ha ha,, this must be the wife of the lunatic “Brian Senewiratne”
Sad to see the Colombo telegraph publish the baloney that these nutcases ‘write’
Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaddddddddddddddddd.
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Dr Romesh Senewiratne / July 12, 2012
No, this lady is not the wife of my father, Brian Senewiratne.
My mother (Brian Senewiratne’s wife) is Kamalini (nee Alagaratnam).
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Helena Waidiyasekerta / July 7, 2012
To. Dr Romesh Siri…
Why are you only pointing out at the Catholic and Christian schools, what about the Monk in Vavuniya who runs a childrens orphanage where children have gone missing, what about that infamous Pahalagama Thero from the Buddhist Temple in UK, who was sentenced by the UK courts for abusing innocent children who went to the temple for their daham pasala, and the buddhist monks who have been raping little children in the recent past when they went to attend the dhama programme. Dr. you cannot and must not generalise and make such rash statements because raping and sadistic mental retardation is common to all communities and religions, so you better stop generalising and ask the question as to why the NCPA chairman has not closed up the Pahalagama childrens orphanage in the Gampaha district. Sane citizens must find ways and means with society in eradicating such menace and bringing pressure on our sadictic TOP who are rotten to the core to take action, because this nation will be a cursed and becomes paralysed that even tourist and foreigners will stop patronising for being such a shameful and disgracel nation who cannot protect their women and children.
LETS STOP POINTING FINGERS AND GET OUR ACT TOGETHER AND SAVE OUR INNOCENT CHILDREN FROM MANIC VULTURES AND PREDATORS. THAT IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR NOT A GENERALISED STATEMENT..
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Dr Romesh Senewiratne / July 12, 2012
A reasonable point, Helena.
Living in Australia, and having been educated in Christian schools, I know little about sexual abuse by the Buddhist clergy. I am only able to contribute, in this forum, about things I have first hand knowledge of.
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Janaka / July 7, 2012
The helping Hambantota scam trying to steal tsunami donations by the fat Mahinda who is now minister of finance before the vermin who are prepared to cross over for a few rupees more from opposition parties will bring down this most corrupt government.
Fonseka, Chandrika, Ranil, and other oppositon leaders must join hands to remove the uneducated uncultured rascals who are prepared to sell sri lanka for personal gain.
Gota the bogus war hero who ran away to America for fifteen years?
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American Lanka Lover / July 7, 2012
The culture of sexual violence is not the fault of GOSL. Rather, it is the fault of the religious leaders on all sides (and to a lesser degree the people as well with their uneducated, primitive, hostility to the sexual revolution). Sl is one of the most sexually repressed nations on Earth (outside the Middleast I should say). Both in the intense societal pressure to dress conservatively and to eschew all sex outside marriage etc.
But the police spend MUCH more effort combating massage parlors that front for brothels than they do prosecuting rapists and pedophiles. FOR THIS I blame the government, but the underlying culture of Victorianism, of puritanism, is the root cause of most the sexual violence in SL. If these boys/men had outlets like pornography and legal prostitution, and even a lessening of objections to sex by their girlfriends, there would not be so many rapes and child molestations.
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Islander20XX / July 9, 2012
It is truly sad to hear of stories of children being sexually abused by adults, wherever they occur. The author is implying that this is a new phenomenon in SL. I do not believe that this is a new phenomenon but I do agree that it is entirely possible that the country is very rapidly sinking into a moral abyss. The leadership of the country must be held responsible for the breakdown of law and order. The examples set by many government MPs who disregard all laws with impunity do not help.
It is not well known that sexual abuse of children and incest has been a Sri Lankan social problem for many years. I was made aware of this fact, about 10 years ago, by someone who was working for an NGO that had programs to help rehabilitate such children. I have my own reservations about the value of NGOs. However, there are some NGOs that are providing a great service and support to children who are invisible to existing govt agencies.
I currently live in a western nation and in my community we have a good number of younger Sri Lankans working in industry. What I have noticed is that a number of these young highly educated Sri Lankans (both spouses) too exhibit a high degree of sexual depravity in their conduct and language at social gatherings. The decline of SL into a moral abyss must have started awhile ago if SL university graduates who go on to earn higher degrees also exhibit the same sexual depravity.
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daya weerasinghe / July 9, 2012
First of all the Sri lankans are a nation of uneducated ignorant idiots with distructive indiferenc………..just look at the parliment……and whos ruling the country……111
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R.John / July 9, 2012
Luke 17:1-2 from the HOLY BIBLE say: Then He [IE The LORD JESUS CHRIST] said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
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Lanka Muslim, UK / July 9, 2012
The people in the south of Sri Lanka, mainly the Sinhala people who are the decision makers in choosing a political party to govern and also have the final say in other affairs, generally have a passive attitude towards the affairs of the country. They decide on a Govt. very often misled to believe false promises. They do not asses the honesty and dishonesty of the politicians. They are very often seen re-electing the same persons who have even committed severe crimes. This attitude of the majority Sinhala people have been taken for granted by the corrupt politicians and they continue with their corrupt activities unabated. Until this attitude of the Sinhala people change the people and the country are not going to have a change.
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Raaj Suntharalingam / July 16, 2012
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